The impact of Nursing Consultation on the management of inhalation therapy

<bold>Introduction:</bold> The wide variety of inhalers on the market can lead to critical errors in inhalation technique, reducing its effectiveness. Inhalation assessment and training are crucial to the success of the therapy. The aim of this study was to identify the most frequent errors in performing the inhalation technique. <bold>Methods:</bold> This is a descriptive and retrospective study with a sample of 100 individuals with a first nursing assessment of inhalation technique between 1 November 2021 and 31 December 2021. <bold>Results:</bold> 50% (n=50) were men. 46% (n=46%) were asthmatic, 33% (n=33) had COPD, 19% (n=19) had diffuse lung disease and 2% (n=2) had ACO. Individuals with inadequate technique: 72% (n=72), the device with the most errors was the Ellipta© with 25% (n=18). Infection control measures 51% (n=51) and respiratory manoeuvres 48% (n=48) were the most frequent errors. The Spearman correlation coefficient for the variables age, studies and type of device was P>0.05. The Mann-Whitney test was carried out between individuals with a first consultation and individuals with a subsequent consultation with a P>0.05. <bold>Discussion:</bold> Our sample shows that educational qualifications, age or the type of device are not related to an increase in errors. The high number of individuals with inadequate inhaler technique found, both in individuals at the first consultation and those at subsequent consultations, reveals the importance of implementing a nursing consultation to optimise inhaler therapy. Inhaler competence is a fundamental component of effective asthma and COPD self-management, and nursing plays a key role in the patient and carer education needed to optimise disease control.