title: [Health care providers' knowledge and abilities to use inhalation devices and spacers].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Inhaled therapy is the mainstay of asthma treatment due to its local and rapid action. However, its efficiency relies on the teaching of a good inhalation technique by health care providers. We assessed health care providers' knowledge and practical skills in the use of inhalation devices.
  
  
  METHODS
  An observational multicenter study was conducted in the pulmonology and paediatric wards in Marseille. The departments' common practices, theoretical knowledge and practical skills were assessed through a questionnaire and a demonstration using a spacer device.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty health care providers were interviewed (9 attending physicians, 14 residents, 16 nurses and 1 physiotherapist), in 8 different pulmonology and paediatric wards. A total of 42.5% reported previous training in inhalation device technique. When evaluating theoretical knowledge, we found a mean of 54% correct answers. Attending physicians did significantly better than residents and nurses. With regard to practical skills, we found a mean of 1.12 failed steps out of 7. Here again attending physicians did significantly better than residents and nurses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on the results of our study, we recommend that attending physicians provide training of inhalation technique to nurses and residents, as they did significantly better theoretically and practically.
authors.affiliation: Faculté de médecine, Aix Marseille université, 13000 Marseille, France. Electronic address: sarah.orfanos@gmail.com.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Orfanos
authors.affiliation: Unité de pneumologie pédiatrique, CHU Timone Enfants, Assistance publique-Hôpitaux de Marseille, 13000 Marseille, France.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carsin
authors.affiliation: Unité de pneumologie pédiatrique, CHU Timone Enfants, Assistance publique-Hôpitaux de Marseille, 13000 Marseille, France.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baravalle
authors.affiliation: Unité de pneumologie pédiatrique, CHU Timone Enfants, Assistance publique-Hôpitaux de Marseille, 13000 Marseille, France.
authors.forename: J-C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Dubus
mesh_terms: D000336:Aerosols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002648:Child; D002983:Clinical Competence; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000193:education / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D036503:Inhalation Spacers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009330:Nebulizers and Vaporizers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000592:standards; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010820:Physicians; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015272:Pulmonary Medicine / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D000078329:Workforce
chemical_list: D000336:Aerosols
keywords: Aérosolthérapie; Health care providers; Inhalation technique; Paediatrics; Personnel hospitalier; Pneumologie; Pulmonology; Pédiatrie