Knowledge, Practices, and Barriers to Peak Flow Meter Use among Nurses in a Tertiary Hospital

Abstract

Background: Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are rising causes of morbidity and mortality in Ghana, yet objective tools for monitoring airflow limitation remain underused. Peak flow meters (PFMs) offer a simple, low-cost method for assessing airway obstruction, but their utilization by nurses has not been well documented. Objective: To assess nurses’ knowledge, practices, and perceived barriers to PFM utilization in the management of respiratory disorders at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), Ghana. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted among 335 registered nurses selected through proportionate stratified sampling from medical, surgical, and emergency units of KATH. Data were collected using a pretested structured questionnaire and analyzed with descriptive statistics (SPSS version 26). Results: Knowledge of PFM use was poor: only 55 nurses (16.4%) correctly identified the PFM as a device for measuring airflow limitation and 28 (8.4%) recognized litres per minute as the standard calibration unit. Practical use was similarly limited, with 93 (27.8%) reporting ever using a PFM to assess a patient and 20 (6.0%) documenting peak flow values after bronchodilator administration. Major barriers included work overload (329, 98.2%), high device cost (315, 94.0%), lack of time to teach patients (305, 91.0%), and administrative unavailability of PFMs (304, 90.7%). Conclusion: Nurses at KATH demonstrated substantial gaps in both knowledge and practice of PFM use despite acknowledging its clinical importance. Integrating PFM training into pre-service nursing curricula, providing regular in-service education, and ensuring consistent device availability are critical to strengthening respiratory care in Ghana.