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The Value of E-Learning for the Prevention of Healthcare-Associated Infections

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 May 2016

Sonia O. Labeau*
Affiliation:
Faculty of Education, Health and Social Work, University College Ghent, Ghent, Belgium; Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
Jordi Rello
Affiliation:
Critical Care Department, Vall d’Hebron University Hospital, CIBERES, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
George Dimopoulos
Affiliation:
Department of Critical Care, Medical School, University of Athens, ATTIKON University Hospital, Athens, Greece
Jeffrey Lipman
Affiliation:
Burns Trauma and Critical Care Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
Aklime Sarikaya
Affiliation:
Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Nursing, Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University, Istanbul, Turkey
Candan Oztürk
Affiliation:
Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Nursing, Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University, Istanbul, Turkey
Dominique M. Vandijck
Affiliation:
Department of Patient Safety and Health Economics, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium; Department of Public Health, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
Dirk Vogelaers
Affiliation:
Department of Internal Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
Koenraad Vandewoude
Affiliation:
Department of Internal Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
Stijn I. Blot
Affiliation:
Burns Trauma and Critical Care Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia Department of Internal Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
*
Address correspondence to Sonia Labeau, University College Ghent, Faculty of Education, Health and Social Work, 9000 Ghent, Belgium ([email protected]).

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Healthcare workers (HCWs) lack familiarity with evidence-based guidelines for the prevention of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). There is good evidence that effective educational interventions help to facilitate guideline implementation, so we investigated whether e-learning could enhance HCW knowledge of HAI prevention guidelines.

METHODS

We developed an electronic course (e-course) and tested its usability and content validity. An international sample of voluntary learners submitted to a pretest (T0) that determined their baseline knowledge of guidelines, and they subsequently studied the e-course. Immediately after studying the course, posttest 1 (T1) assessed the immediate learning effect. After 3 months, during which participants had no access to the course, a second posttest (T2) evaluated the residual learning effect.

RESULTS

A total of 3,587 HCWs representing 79 nationalities enrolled: 2,590 HCWs (72%) completed T0; 1,410 HCWs (39%) completed T1; and 1,011 HCWs (28%) completed T2. The median study time was 193 minutes (interquartile range [IQR], 96–306 minutes)

The median scores were 52% (IQR, 44%–62%) for T0, 80% (IQR, 68%–88%) for T1, and 74% (IQR, 64%–84%) for T2. The immediate learning effect (T0 vs T1) was +24% (IQR, 12%–34%; P<.001), and a residual effect (T0 vs T2) of +18% (IQR 8–28) remained (P<.001). A 200-minute study time was associated with a maximum immediate learning effect (28%). A study time >300 minutes yielded the greatest residual effect (24%).

CONCLUSIONS

Moderate time invested in e-learning yielded significant immediate and residual learning effects. Decision makers could consider promoting e-learning as a supporting tool in HAI prevention.

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2016;37:1052–1059

Type
Original Articles
Copyright
© 2016 by The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America. All rights reserved 

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