title: Successful implementation of spacer treatment guideline for acute asthma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To develop and implement an evidence based guideline for the treatment of acute asthma using a metered dose inhaler and spacer combination.
  
  
  METHODS
  Defined strategies were used for the development and implementation of a guideline, assessed by a prospective, descriptive, study using notes review, and patient, nursing, and medical staff telephone contact. The setting was a tertiary referral hospital in Victoria, Australia with 25 000 yearly admissions, and asthma accounting for about 7% of total. The first 200 children and families to use the guideline after its introduction were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 191 (95.5%) children were treated according to the guideline. Six (3.0%) children were given nebulisers appropriately based on severity; five (2.5%) were given nebulisers at parental or child choice; and four (2.0 %) who did not have severe asthma, received nebulised treatment inappropriately.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Successful implementation of a new evidence based guideline can be achieved using specific strategies for promoting the application of research findings in the clinical arena.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Royal Children's Hospital, Flemington Road, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia. powellc@cryptic.rch.unimelb.edu.au
authors.forename: C V
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Powell
authors.forename: G R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Maskell
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Marks
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: South
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Robertson
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000293:Adolescent; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005260:Female; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009330:Nebulizers and Vaporizers; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents