Knowledge, attitude and practice of nurses toward peak expiratory flow meter in primary health care centers in Kuwait

BackgroundPeak expiratory flow meter (PEFM) is an easy to use, relatively cheap device that can be used for guiding management of bronchial asthma by the patients at home according to a preset plan by health care workers.ObjectiveThe aim of the study is to reveal the extent of knowledge and perception of nurses about PEFM and factors affecting their knowledge.MethodsOut of the total primary health care centers in Kuwait, 50% were randomly selected. Out of 699 nurses currently working in the selected centers, 516 nurses were interviewed for this study with an overall response rate of 73.8%.ResultsThe results of this study showed that nurses had a relatively low total knowledge score percent of 64.7 ± 7.3%. The lowest individual mean percent score was that of procedures and steps of measuring peak expiratory flow rate (39.0 ± 24.1%). The highest percent knowledge score was that of benefits of use and content instructions for teaching patients (78.3 ± 19.5% and 78.1 ± 12.0%, respectively). Sociodemographic factors did not affect the total knowledge score. Receiving training, availability of PRFM in the health center and being responsible about taking the measurements for patients proved to significantly affect the level of knowledge of nurses.ConclusionTraining nurses about use of PEFM and providing primary health care centers with the devices would plan an important role to improve knowledge of nurses and hence improve domestic health care of patients with obstructive lung diseases.