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.