Publisher's Synopsis
This is a quantitative study with a descriptive exploratory design. Its general objective was to analyse the knowledge of nursing technicians and assistants at a hospital in the Vale do Rio dos Sinos/RS/Brazil region about the use of pressurized metered dose inhalers in children with asthma in paediatric inpatient units, as well as the PICU (Paediatric Intensive Care Unit). The specific objectives were to assess the technique used to apply and handle metered-dose inhalers, as well as knowledge about cleaning the spacers and masks of pressurized metered-dose inhalers. The study showed that only 11 nursing professionals (26.83%) had received training in the use of pressurized metered dose inhalers. The results show the importance of periodic training on the subject, given that aerosol therapy is the gold standard and widely used in the treatment of childhood asthma.
