Inhaler Training to Enhance Nurses' Competency in Patient Inhaler Education

NCT07527455 | Not Yet Recruiting DMC

• 1 other identifier: CIRB-2025-116-3
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 82
• Locations: 0 countries
• Sites: N/A

Brief Summary

Nurses play a pivotal role in assessing, educating, and regularly reviewing patients' inhaler techniques. However, inadequate knowledge and skills among nurses can hinder their ability to accurately assess patients' inhaler technique or provide effective guidance to those receiving inhaler therapy. This project aims to develop an effective educational tool/program on inhaler education for healthcare workers and nurses. This is an assessor-blinded, two-armed randomized controlled trial with a 4-month follow-up. The study will be conducted at a training institute of the Hong Kong Hospital Authority, the Institute of Advanced Nursing Studies. The intervention consists of a theory-based, face-to-face inhaler training workshop grounded in Social Learning Theory. The workshop integrates cognitive aids, hands-on demonstrations, and competency assessments using a standardized checklist. To support ongoing learning, participants will receive follow-up instructional videos and periodic reminders to reinforce and maintain their skills in patient inhaler education. Questionnaires will be used to collect participants' demographic information and knowledge and skills regarding inhaler use at baseline, immediate post-training session and 4-month follow-up. Qualitative feedback from trainees will be collected.

Conditions

COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)

Keywords

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease; COPD; Inhaler; Randomized controlled trial; Training; Nurse

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Trainees' correct steps inhaler use

  Proportion of correct steps in inhaler use, evaluated by trained assessors with checklist. Higher percentage of correct steps achieved means better skills.

  Baseline and immediate after face-to-face training session.

Secondary Outcomes (4)

• Trainees' correct steps inhaler use

  Baseline and 4-month

• Trainees' knowledge on inhalation maneuvers

  Baseline, immediate after face-to-face training session and 4 months

• Trainees' confidence in patient education on inhaler use

  Baseline, immediate after face-to-face training session and 4 months

• Trainees' practice in patient education on inhaler use

  4 months

Study Arms (2)

Usual Training Control group

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Control group receives usual training workshop

Behavioral: Usual training

Theory-based Inhaler Training Intervention group

EXPERIMENTAL

Intervention group receives theory-based inhaler training workshop.

Behavioral: Theory-based inhaler training

Interventions

Theory-based inhaler training BEHAVIORAL

The workshop include a face-to face-training session with algorithm of device-specific inhaler maneuvers, standardized inhaler use competency assessment checklist, demonstration, and individual return. To support ongoing learning, participants receive follow-up instructional videos and reminders to strengthen and maintain their skills in patient inhaler education.

Theory-based Inhaler Training Intervention group

Usual training BEHAVIORAL

Control group receives usual training workshop, which is a face-to-face training for using different brands of inhalers.

Usual Training Control group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 65 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Registered nurses
• Holding valid practicing certificate issued by the Nursing Council of Hong Kong

You may not qualify if:

• Unable to speak \& read Chinese

Sponsors & Collaborators

• United Christian Hospital: collaborator
• Hong Kong Metropolitan University: lead

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Lung Diseases, Obstructive; Lung Diseases; Respiratory Tract Diseases; Chronic Disease; Disease Attributes; Pathologic Processes; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Central Study Contacts

Yuen Kwan Agnes Lai, PhD

CONTACT

(852)3970-2917; ayklai@hkmu.edu.hk

Shu Wah Ng

CONTACT

(852)6033 9051; ngsw1@ha.org.hk

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Associate Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: April 7, 2026
• First Posted: April 14, 2026
• Study Start: April 9, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 31, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): February 28, 2027
• Last Updated: April 16, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-04

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share