Quality improvement approach to increasing respiratory therapist driven teach back style asthma education

Abstract

Objective

Asthma is a common chronic medical condition that can require treatment with multiple inhaled medications. Our quality improvement group established a standard asthma teaching protocol with respiratory therapists utilizing the teach back method. We aimed to increase the percentage of pulmonary asthma clinic visits receiving this education from a baseline of 42.7% in 2016 to 80% by December 2019.

Methods

Multiple interventions were put in place and data was collected monthly from the electronic medical record system. Data was recorded in statistical process control charts using a p chart. Nelson’s established rules for determining special versus common cause variation were used.

Results

Over the three-year project the percentage of asthma clinic visits receiving the standardized respiratory therapist driven teach back asthma education increased to 82.3%.

Conclusion

Utilizing a standardized approach, it’s possible to deliver standardized asthma education in a busy pulmonary clinic.

Keywords:

• Quality improvement
• inhaler technique
• action plan

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest.