Evaluating Asthma 411 Program in Terms of Reduction of the Use of Ambulance Services

Abstract

Background: Asthma is a common chronic, reversible airflow obstruction with the signs and symptoms of shortness of breath, chest tightness, use of accessory muscles to breathe, wheezing, coughing, increased breathing and pulse rates, and inability to make full sentences in talking for breathing difficulties. There is no cure for asthma currently, but only medications to treat the symptoms. In the United States (U.S.), asthma affected approximately 6.2 million children (8.4% of children under 18 years old) with 2 million emergency room visits in 2015. It is also a significant reason to call for ambulance services and to increase students’ absences from schools and learning disabilities. Therefore, an independent school district (ISD) in the northwest region of Texas has adopted Asthma 411 program to treat students with asthma attacks at the school nurse offices without calling for ambulance services. Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of the Asthma 411 program in reducing the number of calls for ambulance services for students with asthma attacks. Design: This project was a retrospective chart review utilizing a quantitative non-experimental study design utilizing descriptive statistics to identify the differences made by the Asthma 411 program. Setting: An elementary school located in the northwest region of Texas. Participants: One hundred twenty-six students with asthma at an elementary school located in the northwest region of Texas. Measurements: Counting the number of ambulance calls for students with asthma attacks in two periods: before the adoptions of the Asthma 411 program and after the adoption of the program. Results: Multiple calls out of 19 total ambulance calls were made in the academic year of August 2012 to May 2013 before the adoption of the Asthma 411 program. After the adoption of the program, only one ambulance call was made during the six academic years of August 2013 to May 2019. Conclusion: The Asthma 411 program was successful in reducing the number of ambulance calls for students with asthma attacks.