In spirometry testing, you may have noticed that the players don’t just step up to the mound and perform their best. They need firm and consistent coaching from the sidelines to give that maximal effort needed for a valid test. The spirometry game becomes a partnership arrangement between the subject and technician due to the stimulus’s-response nature of the test. A wimpy coach illicit a wimpy action. A vigorous, enthusiastic coach gets the best results.
Does this coaching need to be of the brow beating category, in which the subject is shouted at throughout the test? Absolutely not. The most effective coaching can actually be whispered, but with such voice intensity, eye contact and body language that the subject knows you mean business. Keep control from start to finish, rave a bit for a good test, reinstruct for the unacceptable tests, and stay vitally interested in performance. Remember, you are looking for 3 Acceptable tests, of which the two best FEV1’s and FVC’s repeat within 150 mls (new Standard Update) or 5%. Enjoy the Game!