Asthma is the most common chronic respiratory disease in childhood, affecting 6.5% of children in the United States. Spirometry is the gold standard objective measure when diagnosing and managing asthma, yet it is underutilized in primary care.
The purpose of this quality improvement project was to assess pediatric primary care provider use of spirometry and perceived barriers to use.
The Knowledge-to-Action framework informed this quality improvement project. A focused review of current evidence was completed, and a survey was conducted to assess current spirometry practices and provider perspectives about spirometry.
The majority of respondents (n = 37) reported that they diagnose and manage asthma regularly (mean = 4.08/5 ± 0.72) but do not use spirometry regularly (mean = 2.22/5 ± 0.98). The top reported barriers to spirometry utilization included availability, time, and training.
NPs can improve asthma care by advocating for spirometry in primary care. This manuscript provides strategies for incorporating spirometry into primary care practice.

Copyright © 2025 National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.