Breathe Easy By Avoiding Common Errors With Inhaled Devices

• Published in: Journal of emergency nursing 2017-05, Vol.43 (3), p.268-271
• Main Author: Paparella, Susan F.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Administration, Inhalation; Asthma; Asthma - drug therapy; Bronchodilator Agents - administration & dosage; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; COPD; Drug delivery systems; Drug dosages; Errors; Humans; Inhalers; Medical equipment; Medication Errors - prevention & control; Nebulizers and Vaporizers; Nursing; Patient education; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - drug therapy; Respiratory therapy
• ISSN: 0099-1767; 1527-2966
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jen.2017.03.004

Dry-powder breath-activated inhalers are preloaded with the medicine already inside the device or have a capsule that must be inserted into the inhaler and punctured by the device before each dose is inhaled. Even though pharmaceutical companies provide detailed instructions for consumers, including short videos online to help visualize the proper administration technique, it has been suggested that up to 94% of people with asthma and COPD use their inhalers incorrectly.1-3 Although many of the errors occur in the home, even health care providers are known to make the same mistakes.1 Given the variety of misadministration issues, it is not uncommon for patients to present to the emergency department, believing that their inhaler is broken or empty when their symptoms have not subsided. Aiming the inhaler at the tongue or upper palate rather than the throat also can create suboptimal results.5,6 A number of errors have been reported to the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) with the use of the newer dry powder devices.