HS140 Unit 7 Asthma Inhaler Teaching Handout Example

Reviewed by Elspeth Marlowe, MSN, RN Pharmacology Purdue University Global Free custom sample in 24 to 48h

The HS140 Unit 7 patient teaching handout explains asthma medicines in plain words, separating the daily controller inhaler from the quick-relief rescue inhaler, the confusion that undermines inhaler teaching most often. Purdue Global HS 140 asks BS in Health Science learners to turn pharmacology into material a patient can use. The handout describes each inhaler by its job, leaves blanks for the care team to write in drug names, explains rinsing after the daily steroid inhaler to prevent thrush, gives six steps for using a spray inhaler and lists signs that mean calling the clinic and signs that mean calling 911. A section explains the plain-language choices, the single-inhaler option in recent asthma guidance and why doses are left out.

CourseHS140 Pharmacology
UnitUnit 7
Paper typePatient teaching handout
LengthAbout 600 words, 5 pages double-spaced
FormatAPA 7 student paper
SchoolPurdue University Global
ProgramBS in Health Science
UpdatedOctober 2026

Free sample paper for HS140 Unit 7

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Your Daily Inhaler and Your Rescue Inhaler: A Unit 7 Patient Teaching Handout on Asthma Medicines in Plain Words

[Student Name]

Purdue University Global

HS140: Pharmacology

Unit 7 Patient Teaching Handout

[Instructor Name]

[Date]

The handout is written for a composite adult reader; the guideline, textbook and health literacy guide cited are real.

What this part is doingNaming the single most common confusion in the lead tells the reader what the handout is designed to prevent.
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The Handout

Your asthma medicines: two inhalers, two jobs

You may have two inhalers. They do different jobs. Knowing which is which keeps you safe.

Your daily inhaler (controller) This inhaler calms the swelling inside your airways over time. It helps prevent asthma attacks.

1. Take it daily, on good days as well as bad ones.

2. It will not stop an attack that has already started.

3. Rinse your mouth with water and spit after each use. This helps prevent a mouth infection called thrush.

Your daily inhaler is: ____________ (your care team will fill this in).

Your rescue inhaler (quick relief) This inhaler opens your airways within minutes when you are short of breath, wheezing or coughing.

1. Carry it with you at all times.

2. Use it when symptoms start, as your care team told you.

3. If you need it more than your care team said to expect, your asthma may not be under control. Tell them.

Your rescue inhaler is: ____________.

Some people use one inhaler for both jobs. If your care team has given you that plan, follow it.

How to use a spray inhaler

1. Take off the cap and shake the inhaler.

2. Breathe out all the way, away from the inhaler.

3. Put the mouthpiece in your mouth, or use a spacer if you have one.

4. Press down once as you start to breathe in slowly and deeply.

5. Hold your breath for up to 10 seconds, then breathe out slowly.

6. If you need a second puff, wait about a minute and repeat.

Call your clinic soon if:

1. You use your rescue inhaler more often than usual.

2. You wake at night with asthma symptoms.

3. Your daily inhaler is running out.

Get emergency help now (call 911) if:

1. You are very short of breath and your rescue inhaler is not helping.

2. Your lips or fingernails look gray or blue.

3. You are too short of breath to walk or talk.

The two inhalers are described by what they do, daily and rescue, rather than by drug names, because names differ between brands while the jobs do not.

What this part is doingOrganizing the handout by job rather than by drug name keeps it useful when a patient's prescriptions change brands.
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Choices Explained

Plain words. The handout avoids terms such as corticosteroid, bronchodilator and inflammation, using "calms the swelling" and "opens your airways" instead, in line with health literacy guidance for patient materials (Brega et al., 2015).

Blanks for names. Drug names are left as blanks for the care team because patients may have different products, and newer plans sometimes use a single inhaler for both daily and rescue use, an option reflected in recent asthma guidance (Cloutier et al., 2020).

Rinsing. The rinse step is included because inhaled steroids can cause thrush, a common and preventable side effect (Lilley et al., 2023).

No numbers for doses. The handout does not say how many puffs to take, because that comes from each person's plan. Technique steps follow the common spray inhaler sequence; dry powder inhalers work differently, so a separate sheet would be needed for patients who use one.

Check

The handout was read aloud and checked for any word that would need a dictionary. Thrush is the only medical term and is explained where it appears.

What this part is doingExplaining the check shows how the handout was tested against its reader rather than assumed to be clear.
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References

Brega, A. G., Barnard, J., Mabachi, N. M., Weiss, B. D., DeWalt, D. A., Brach, C., Cifuentes, M., Albright, K., & West, D. R. (2015). AHRQ health literacy universal precautions toolkit (2nd ed., AHRQ Publication No. 15-0023-EF). Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

Cloutier, M. M., Baptist, A. P., Blake, K. V., Brooks, E. G., Bryant-Stephens, T., DiMango, E., Dixon, A. E., Elward, K. S., Hartert, T., Krishnan, J. A., Lemanske, R. F., Ouellette, D. R., Pace, W. D., Schatz, M., Skolnik, N. S., Stout, J. W., Teach, S. J., Umscheid, C. A., & Walsh, C. G. (2020). 2020 focused updates to the asthma management guidelines: A report from the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program Coordinating Committee Expert Panel Working Group. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 146(6), 1217-1270. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaci.2020.10.003

Lilley, L. L., Collins, S. R., & Snyder, J. S. (2023). Pharmacology and the nursing process (10th ed.). Elsevier.

Reading the HS 140 Unit 7 instructions

Unit 7 typically asks students to create a patient handout for a drug or drug class, written for a reader with no clinical training. One to two pages is common, often followed by a short rationale. Instructors expect plain language, a clear statement of what each medicine does, how to use it correctly, common side effects and how to prevent them, and when to seek help. Numbered steps and short sentences are generally preferred. Specific doses are usually left to the prescriber's plan. A short rationale usually follows, citing a health literacy source and a clinical guideline. Reading the handout aloud is a good test of clarity.

How this HS140 Unit 7 example is built

The handout opens by stating that the two inhalers do different jobs. The daily inhaler section explains its purpose in plain words, with three instructions including the rinse step and a blank for the name. The rescue inhaler section follows the same pattern. A short note mentions single-inhaler plans. Six numbered steps cover spray inhaler technique, then two lists separate clinic calls from emergency calls; the highlighted sentence explains organizing by job rather than drug name. The choices section explains vocabulary, blanks, rinsing and the absence of doses, and a final check confirms thrush is the only medical term. Space is left for the care team to write in drug names and puffs, so the sheet fits many patients.

Reading the HS140 Unit 7 grading rubric

Patient handouts are commonly graded on clarity and plain language, accuracy, completeness of safety information, usability and the rationale for choices. Clarity often weighs most, since a handout the patient cannot follow fails regardless of accuracy. Accuracy rewards correct distinctions between controller and rescue medicines and correct technique steps. Completeness means including when to seek help, with emergency signs clearly separated. Usability earns credit for numbered steps, short sentences and space for the care team's details. A rationale that cites health literacy guidance and a current asthma guideline shows how the handout was designed. Avoiding specific doses, unless the prompt supplies them, is expected. Graders sometimes hand the sheet to someone outside health care to see whether it can be followed.

Common HS140 Unit 7 mistakes, and how to avoid them

The most common weakness is a handout that still uses words such as bronchodilator and corticosteroid without explanation. Another is describing both inhalers together so the reader cannot tell them apart. Some students give a fixed number of puffs, which varies by plan and should come from the prescriber. Others leave out emergency signs or mix them with routine advice. Technique steps that skip breathing out first or holding the breath reduce the handout's value. If your assigned medicine is different, perhaps an insulin pen or a blood thinner, send the prompt, and a handout can be written with plain words, clear steps and help signs.

Get an HS140 Unit 7 example written to your instructions

Name the drug class or condition your Unit 7 handout should cover and attach the prompt with its rubric. The custom patient teaching handout, patient pages plus a sourced instructor appendix, follows the brief your instructor set and is ready in 24-48h. The first handout is on the house, whatever class it covers. The paper above is an original model document written by our desk, not a submitted student paper and not an official Purdue University Global document.

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HS140 Unit 7 questions, answered

Can the handout include images?

If the prompt permits them, simple images or described illustrations help, particularly for technique. Use your own drawings, licensed images or clear written descriptions, and credit any source in the appendix. Avoid images that show a specific brand's device unless the prompt names that brand. A short caption under each image explaining what it shows keeps it useful for readers who skim.

What if the prompt assigns a different drug class?

The same structure works for most classes: what the medicine does in plain words, how and when it is taken, what effects are expected, and which signs need a call. Anticoagulants add bleeding precautions, for instance, and antibiotics add finishing the course as prescribed. Adjust the sections to the class while keeping the separation between routine and urgent warnings.

How simple should the language be?

Simple enough that a reader with no clinical training could follow it on a stressful day. Short sentences, everyday words, and one idea per line work well. If your section sets a reading level, compare the draft against it, but also read it aloud: phrases that sound clinical when spoken usually need replacing even if a readability formula passes them.

Where can I find a free HS140 Unit 7 sample paper?

This page contains the complete Unit 7 asthma inhaler handout, separating daily and rescue inhalers in plain words with technique steps and help signs.

Why rinse the mouth after a steroid inhaler?

Inhaled steroid left in the mouth can cause thrush, a yeast infection. Rinsing with water and spitting removes most of it.