A pharmacist-led educational intervention to improve nebulization-related knowledge and practices of nursing staff: a pre–post interventional study from Pakistan

Background: Respiratory conditions such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and respiratory infections incur significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Nebulization therapy is an excellent option for these conditions because it delivers the drugs directly into the lungs. Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the effects of a pharmacist-led educational intervention on the skills of nurses dealing with nebulization therapy. Methods: A pre–post interventional study was conducted among nurses from three district headquarters hospitals in Punjab province, Pakistan, from August to October 2020. The nurses attended a structured training session on good nebulization practice that included lectures, illustrations, videos, and hands-on training. Nurses completed a self-administered assessment questionnaire before and after the intervention. Results: Of the 136 registered nurses invited to take part in the current study, 103 participated (response rate 76%). Most nurses were aged 26–30 years and had 2–5 years of working experience. Around one-third of the nurses reported performing the nebulization process more than ten times per day. The pharmacist-led educational intervention significantly improved (p < 0.001) participants’ knowledge of good nebulization practices according to results from the self-administered questionnaire in the post-training assessment. Practices related to infection prevention and disinfection of nebulizing accessories also significantly improved (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The current study demonstrated a potential positive impact of a pharmacist-led educational intervention on complex medication processes related to nurses' awareness of good nebulization practices.