A 12-month prospective multicenter intervention study across 20 pediatric emergency departments (PEDs) in Northern Greece compared intensive inhaler technique (IT) training (every 4 months, 3 sessions) versus a single brief training session among 373 HCPs (84 consultants, 178 residents, 111 nurses).
Intensive training produced significant 12-month score gains in consultants (asthma crisis management: 69.94→76.54, p=0.006; IT with facemask: 37.5→50, p=0.003; IT with mouthpiece: 50→75, p=0.005) and residents (61.15→70.89, p=0.004; 25→50, p=0.005; 50→75, p=0.01); consultants in the intensive group improved significantly more than those in the brief group (p=0.003 for crisis management). Brief training showed no statistically significant improvements. Nurses did not improve significantly on any domain.
- Modest sample size may have reduced statistical power, especially for subgroup comparisons. - Assessments during working shifts may have affected performance; participants could have accessed outside educational resources. - No patient outcomes measured, and the Kirkpatrick model was not applied, limiting translation to clinical impact.
Repeated IT training every 4 months—rather than a single session—drives durable skill gains in pediatric emergency consultants and residents; departments should build structured, recurring inhaler education into routine workflow. Nurses may need tailored educational strategies, as they did not show significant improvement under either model.
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