(349) Respiratory Therapy Educational Assessment Tool Implementation in a Pediatric Cystic Fibrosis Center

Background: As a way of better understanding our patient’s knowledge of their airway clearance routine, a written assessment tool was created. This tool included 5 questions and assessed inhaled medication knowledge, order of respiratory therapies, vest type and settings, and device cleaning and disinfection methods. The tool was multiple choice with room for comments and additional airway clearance information. Contact information in the form of phone number and email was solicited to facilitate follow up education where needed.

Methods: Educational assessments were handed out during CF clinic starting in 09/2021. There were no age limits. The patients could have their parents/caregivers assist with their answers. No assistance completing the tool was given by CF center staff beyond basic instructions. The patients’ answers were compared to the ordered treatments. Omissions and incomplete answers were counted as incorrect. Not every question was applicable to each patient.

Results: There were 203 respondents from our center of >300 pediatric patients. Overall, 53 respondents (26%) correctly answered all questions. The most common incorrect/omitted answer was for vest settings: 100 respondents (49%) did not know their vest settings. 72 respondents (35%) did not know the purpose of their inhaled medications, and 24 respondents (12%) did not know the order of their inhaled medications. Only 4 respondents (2%) did not know what medications they were taking while 188 respondents (92%) were able to describe their method of cleaning and disinfection.

Conclusions: The assessment tool was valuable in identifying gaps in our patient’s knowledge. This tool will allow us to address airway clearance education across our CF center and will be used to build personal treatment binders for each patient in our center. These binders will grow with the patient as other therapy modalities and education are provided and will be a part of ongoing pediatric to adult transition QI work with our partner adult center.

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