ABSTRACT
AIMS: The purpose of this study is to investigate primary care nurse practitioner (NP) knowledge and knowledge retention on obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) screening after an educational in-service. BACKGROUND: The prevalence of OSA is high and continues to rise amid the obesity epidemic. Approximately 75-90 % of individuals with moderate to severe OSA remain undiagnosed. Continuing education of OSA risk factors among primary care providers may increase screening rates, leading to early diagnosis and treatment. METHODS: An educational module was presented to NPs (n = 30) during a mandatory NP in-service at two sets of outpatient clinics. Knowledge was assessed with a pre-test and post-test survey consisting of 23 items. A 25-item follow-up test was administered five weeks after to assess knowledge retention. RESULTS: An increase in total knowledge scores was demonstrated between the pre-test and post-test with a decrease in knowledge observed at follow-up. Follow-up test total mean scores remained above pre-test levels, indicating potential long-term learning. CONCLUSIONS: While learning was demonstrated, NPs acknowledged continued barriers to screening for OSA such as time and having no OSA screening tool available in the electronic medical record (EMR).
