Web-Based Learning for Continuing Nursing Education of Emergency Unit Staff:

The COVID-19 pandemic triggered a change in continuing education in nursing: From face-to-face to online education

Prior to and up to 2019, the Training Center for Nursing Development, National College of Nursing, Japan (NCNJ) had provided education for nurses working at policy-based medical facilities in a face-to-face format. Since 2020 however, all on-campus courses have been cancelled due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. The nursing directors of all participating facilities were subsequently surveyed; based on their responses, online education was implemented on a trial basis. As a result, all training since 2021 has been provided as online education. Online education has many advantages, such as there is no risk of contracting COVID-19 or other infectious diseases, no need for commuting or accommodations, courses can be attended remotely, and time can be used effectively. That said, there are some disadvantages. Potential improvements should be identified in the future.

Assessing the Evidence for the Educational Efficacy of Webinars and Related Internet-Based Instruction

The proliferation of webinars and other similar web-based educational offerings attests to the interest in this instructional modality on the part of educators and learners in the public health workforce. While certain advantages of Internet-based training, including time and costs savings for learners, are evident, it is important to establish the impact of this medium on a variety of health care disciplines. To this end, a search was performed of individual studies and review articles published since 2005 that discuss the use of these methodologies by several disciplines in the domain of public health, with particular attention on randomized controlled trials and meta-analytic studies. Reports over the past decade support the belief that the health care workforce is generally satisfied with Internet-based training and that this type of training yields measurable changes in knowledge and behavior. Overall, the data strongly suggest that these techniques are better than no intervention and essentially equivalent to conventional instructional techniques. However, the specific elements that actually improve the educational value of web-based educational technologies and the evidence base for best practices in the field have yet to be identified.

Counseling patients and family members in out-of-hospital emergency situations: a survey for emergency staff

Background

Not much is known about emergency care delivered in patients’ homes or other out-of-hospital settings. This study aims to describe out-of-hospital emergency staff’s experiences of encountering and counseling patients and their family members.

Methods

A descriptive cross-sectional design was applied. Data were collected from a hospital district in Finland from emergency care staff via an electronic survey questionnaire specifically developed for this purpose (N = 125, N = 142 reponse rate 59%, response rate 53%) and analyzed using descriptive statistics.

Results

Respondents succeeded in encountering (up to 3.88/4) and counseling (up to 3.89/4) patients and family members. Challenges were related to introducing themselves to family members (3.20/4), to interacting with patients from different cultures (3.38/4) and to allowing family members to be present in care situations (2.29/4). Providing emotional support (2.56/4), especially to family members, and confirming (3.16/4) and ensuring continuity of care instructions (3.00/4) were found to be challenging.

Conclusions

High-level counseling in acute out-of-hospital situations demands that care providers can put themselves into the patient’s and family’s situation, ensure follow-up care and provide care instructions to both patients and families. The presence and participation of family members is essential in acute care situations outside hospital contexts. Ensuring that these contents are included and practiced during basic and continuing emergency care education for nurses and other emergency staff is crucial for developing counseling practices.

Delirium knowledge and recognition: a randomized controlled trial of a web-based educational intervention for acute care nurses

Delirium is a significant problem for older hospitalized people and is associated with poor outcomes. It is poorly recognized and evidence suggests that a major reason is lack of education. Nurses, who are educated about delirium, can play a significant role in improving delirium recognition. This study evaluated the impact of a delirium specific educational website. A cluster randomized controlled trial, with a pretest/post-test time series design, was conducted to measure delirium knowledge (DK) and delirium recognition (DR) over three time-points. Statistically significant differences were found between the intervention and non-intervention group. The intervention groups' DK scores were higher and the change over time results were statistically significant [T3 and T1 (t=3.78 p=<0.001) and T2 and T1 baseline (t=5.83 p=<0.001)]. Statistically significant improvements were also seen for DR when comparing T2 and T1 results (t=2.56 p=0.011) between both groups but not for changes in DR scores between T3 and T1 (t=1.80 p=0.074). Participants rated the website highly on the visual, functional and content elements. This study supports the concept that web-based delirium learning is an effective and satisfying method of information delivery for registered nurses. Future research is required to investigate clinical outcomes as a result of this web-based education.

Counselling for patients and family members: a follow-up study in the emergency department

Although the research indicates that patients and family members are not fully satisfied with the counselling they receive, little is known about the quality of counselling in more detail. The purpose of the study was to describe patients' and their family members' experiences about counselling in emergency department, and follow how these experiences possibly change after the educational intervention for the whole nursing staff of the ED ward. The pre-test-post-test follow-up design was implemented including online continuing education for ED staff. The data were collected via questionnaires from patients and their family members in two phases and analyzed statistically. After online education of staff, experiences of patients and family members concerning counselling were better than before the education. Especially, family members' satisfaction had increased. However, our results also indicated that patients and family members desire more information for example, regarding medications. Care practices had developed towards family-centeredness, which patients and family members appreciate. Online education proved also in some degree its usefulness in educating ED staff, by offering the same education to a staff which works in shifts. Furthermore, family presence and participation practices should be developed by offering possibilities for families to stay with each other on ED ward.