Pharmacists’ knowledge and patient counseling on metered dose inhalers and nebulizers in a Nigerian hospital – an intervention study

सार

Objectives: To carry out an intervention study on pharmacists’ knowledge on metered dose inhalers (MDIs) and nebulizers, and patient counseling on MDIs in a tertiary hospital in South-Western Nigeria.

Methods: A pre-post interventional study conducted among pharmacists in the University College Hospital, Ibadan. Semi-structured questionnaire was administered to the participants to obtain data for background assessment of the pharmacists’ knowledge and patient counseling vis-à-vis metered dose inhalers and nebulizers.  A seminar was organized to update the pharmacists’ knowledge and patient counseling on MDIs and nebulizers. Post-intervention assessment was done a month after the intervention. Data was summarized using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics at p<0.05.

Results: Response rate was 81% (85/105). Pharmacists knowledge on MDIs and nebulizers improved significantly from 5.19 (SD=1.92) pre-intervention, out of 12 to 7.47 (SD=1.88) post-intervention (p<0.001). Assessment of pharmacists’ patient counseling on MDIs increased significantly from 4.17 (SD=2.83) pre-intervention, out of 11, to 7.19 (SD=3.52) post-intervention (p<0.001). At least 50% of MDI administration steps was correctly stated by 33.1% and 71.7% of the pharmacists pre- and post-intervention, respectively. Only 2.4% and 23.5% of the pharmacists stated all the MDI administration steps correctly, pre-intervention and post-intervention, respectively. Pharmacists’ additional educational qualifications, previous personal use of asthma inhalation medication and years of hospital pharmacy work experience influenced their assessment scores.

Conclusions: The intervention carried out among the hospital pharmacists improved their knowledge on MDIs and nebulizers and also increased their patient counseling on MDIs.