Checking Inhaler Technique in the Community Pharmacy: Predictors of Critical Errors
Inhaled medications are critical in the pharmaceutical management of respiratory conditions, however, the majority of patients demonstrate at least one critical error when using an inhaler. Since community pharmacists can be instrumental in addressing this care gap, we aimed to determine the rate an...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-01-01
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| Series: | Pharmacy |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2226-4787/8/1/6 |
| _version_ | 1817992536861442048 |
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| author | Tatiana Makhinova Brandie L. Walker Marlene Gukert LeAnna Kalvi Lisa M. Guirguis |
| author_facet | Tatiana Makhinova Brandie L. Walker Marlene Gukert LeAnna Kalvi Lisa M. Guirguis |
| author_sort | Tatiana Makhinova |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Inhaled medications are critical in the pharmaceutical management of respiratory conditions, however, the majority of patients demonstrate at least one critical error when using an inhaler. Since community pharmacists can be instrumental in addressing this care gap, we aimed to determine the rate and type of critical inhaler errors in community pharmacy settings, elucidate the factors contributing to inhaler technique errors, and identify instances when community pharmacists check proper inhaler use. Fourth year pharmacy students on community practice placement (n = 53) identified 200 patients where at least one error was observed in 78% of participants when demonstrating inhaler technique. Prevalent errors of the users were associated with metered dose inhaler (MDI) (55.6%), Ellipta<sup>®</sup> (88.3%), and Discus<sup>®</sup> (86.7%) devices. Overall, the mean number of errors was 1.09. Possession of more than one inhaler, use of rescue inhaler, and poor control of asthma were found to be significant predictors of having at least one critical error. In all participating pharmacies, inhaler technique is mainly checked on patient request (93.0%) and for all new inhalers (79.0%). |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-14T01:27:12Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-64125134f4d34bb695de796c89ca8cc4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2226-4787 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-14T01:27:12Z |
| publishDate | 2020-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Pharmacy |
| spelling | doaj.art-64125134f4d34bb695de796c89ca8cc42022-12-22T02:20:21ZengMDPI AGPharmacy2226-47872020-01-0181610.3390/pharmacy8010006pharmacy8010006Checking Inhaler Technique in the Community Pharmacy: Predictors of Critical ErrorsTatiana Makhinova0Brandie L. Walker1Marlene Gukert2LeAnna Kalvi3Lisa M. Guirguis4Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1C9, CanadaDepartment of Medicine, Division of Respirology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, CanadaFaculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1C9, CanadaFaculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1C9, CanadaFaculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1C9, CanadaInhaled medications are critical in the pharmaceutical management of respiratory conditions, however, the majority of patients demonstrate at least one critical error when using an inhaler. Since community pharmacists can be instrumental in addressing this care gap, we aimed to determine the rate and type of critical inhaler errors in community pharmacy settings, elucidate the factors contributing to inhaler technique errors, and identify instances when community pharmacists check proper inhaler use. Fourth year pharmacy students on community practice placement (n = 53) identified 200 patients where at least one error was observed in 78% of participants when demonstrating inhaler technique. Prevalent errors of the users were associated with metered dose inhaler (MDI) (55.6%), Ellipta<sup>®</sup> (88.3%), and Discus<sup>®</sup> (86.7%) devices. Overall, the mean number of errors was 1.09. Possession of more than one inhaler, use of rescue inhaler, and poor control of asthma were found to be significant predictors of having at least one critical error. In all participating pharmacies, inhaler technique is mainly checked on patient request (93.0%) and for all new inhalers (79.0%).https://www.mdpi.com/2226-4787/8/1/6inhaler techniqueinhaler errorcommunity pharmacypatient education |
| spellingShingle | Tatiana Makhinova Brandie L. Walker Marlene Gukert LeAnna Kalvi Lisa M. Guirguis Checking Inhaler Technique in the Community Pharmacy: Predictors of Critical Errors Pharmacy inhaler technique inhaler error community pharmacy patient education |
| title | Checking Inhaler Technique in the Community Pharmacy: Predictors of Critical Errors |
| title_full | Checking Inhaler Technique in the Community Pharmacy: Predictors of Critical Errors |
| title_fullStr | Checking Inhaler Technique in the Community Pharmacy: Predictors of Critical Errors |
| title_full_unstemmed | Checking Inhaler Technique in the Community Pharmacy: Predictors of Critical Errors |
| title_short | Checking Inhaler Technique in the Community Pharmacy: Predictors of Critical Errors |
| title_sort | checking inhaler technique in the community pharmacy predictors of critical errors |
| topic | inhaler technique inhaler error community pharmacy patient education |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2226-4787/8/1/6 |
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