TY - JOUR T1 - A study to determine the most effective training method for increasing oxygen prescription rates in a district general hospital JF - European Respiratory Journal JO - Eur Respir J VL - 42 IS - Suppl 57 SP - P1855 AU - Stephanie Harlow AU - Heathcoat Maria AU - Melanie Irvin-Sellars Y1 - 2013/09/01 UR - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/42/Suppl_57/P1855.abstract N2 - Introduction:As per the British Thoracic Society (BTS) Guidelines for Emergency Oxygen Use1 implementation of oxygen prescribing polices require regular training programmes for all clinical staff in the safe use of oxygen.We wanted to implement a mandatory training package within the trust aimed at improving oxygen prescribing. To ensure the content was highly effective prior to implementation we compared the impact of on-line vs face-to-face training on oxygen prescription rates.Methods:Prescribing data was collected on all patients receiving oxygen therapy:1) Before training2) After on-line training3) After faceā€“to-face trainingResults:View this table:The impact of online and face-to-face training on oxygen prescribing ratesBoth methods significantly improved oxygen prescribing rates (p=0.000). Face-to-face training increased oxygen prescribing more than online training by 12%.Conclusion:Training face-to-face is the most effective method at increasing oxygen prescribing. Resources mean that face-to-face training is limited in comparison to on-line training which is freely accessible to all. We concluded that the most effective way to improve oxygen prescribing within the trust was to combine both forms of training within our educational package.1. British Thoracic Society (2008), Guideline for Emergency Oxygen Use in Adult Patients, Thorax; vol. 63; supplement VI. ER -