Nurses’ Knowledge and Practice of Asthma Management in Children at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital

Background: Childhood asthma is one of the most common chronic conditions managed in Nigerian paediatric wards, requiring nurses to possess current evidence-based management knowledge. Aim: This study assessed nurses' knowledge and practice of asthma management in children at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, South West Nigeria. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey recruited 80 registered nurses from paediatric and emergency units through stratified random sampling. A validated knowledge assessment tool and a clinical practice observation checklist were used. Data were analysed with SPSS version 26. Results: Sixty-six percent of nurses demonstrated adequate knowledge of asthma management including trigger identification and inhaler technique. However, only 50% were observed to correctly demonstrate spacer device use, and documentation of asthma action plans was done in only 38% of reviewed cases. Conclusion: Significant gaps in asthma management practice warrant intervention. Hospital-based asthma nursing training, standardised paediatric asthma protocols, and caregiver education programmes using visual aids are recommended to improve management outcomes in Nigerian paediatric settings. Keywords: childhood asthma, nursing, management, Lagos, paediatric care.