Procedure for using an inhaler

Asthma statistics

Latest statistics from Asthma UK³ show that:

Dental nurses must be able to recognise and effectively treat the sick patient following the Airway Breathing Circulation Disability Exposure (ABCDE) approach. A key component of B is an understanding of the indications and technique for the use of a short-acting beta₂ agonist inhaler such as salbutamol 100 micrograms/puff, more commonly referred to as a blue ‘relief’ inhaler (Figure 1), when a patient is having an asthma attack.

Most dental practices encourage their asthmatic patients to bring in their own blue ‘relief inhaler’ with them when they attend for treatment. However, patients will not always have theirs with them, hence the recommendation that dental practices should have immediate access to a short-acting beta₂ agonist inhaler such as salbutamol 100 micrograms/puff.¹ Dental nurses must therefore understand the correct procedure for using this blue ‘relief inhaler’.