Structured Education Enhances Inhaler Technique and Asthma Management Skills of Health Care Providers in Pediatric Emergency Departments.

BACKGROUND

Optimal inhaler technique (IT) is essential for effective asthma management, yet skill retention among health care professionals (HCPs) remains inconsistent.

AIM: To compare the long-term effectiveness of intensive versus brief educational interventions on IT retention among HCPs in pediatric emergency departments (PEDs) across Northern Greece.

METHODS

We conducted a 12-month prospective, multicenter intervention study in 20 PEDs. Pediatric consultants, residents, and nurses were allocated to either an intensive education group-receiving IT training every 4 months-or a brief education group-receiving a single training session. Blinded assessments of IT skills were performed alongside structured questionnaires on asthma crisis management and IT with both a facemask and a mouthpiece. Final evaluations were conducted at 12 months.

RESULTS

A total of 373 HCPs participated: 84 consultants, 178 residents, and 111 nurses. Post-intervention scores improved significantly for consultants (asthma crisis management: 69.94 to 76.54, p = 0.006; IT with facemask: 37.5 to 50, p = 0.003; IT with mouthpiece: 50 to 75, p = 0.005) and residents (61.15 to 70.89, p = 0.004; 25 to 50, p = 0.005; 50 to 75, p = 0.01, respectively). Intensive education was associated with significantly greater improvements compared with brief education, particularly among consultants (p = 0.003 for asthma crisis management). Nurses did not demonstrate statistically significant improvements.

CONCLUSIONS

Intensive, repeated training produces superior long-term retention of IT skills among HCPs in PEDs compared with a single educational session. Incorporating structured, ongoing educational strategies into routine practice may enhance asthma care delivery and reduce reliance on nebulizers in acute pediatric settings.