Protocol for designing and evaluating an undergraduate public health course on sexual and reproductive health at a public university in California

Introduction

Comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) is associated with positive sexual and reproductive health (SRH) outcomes, including increased contraceptive use, lower rates of unintended pregnancy and prevention of sexual violence. However, implementation of and requirements for CSE vary across the United States which can negatively impact students, both during and beyond high school, including among college students.

Methods

and Analysis: This paper describes the research protocol for a multi-staged approach for designing, implementing and evaluating an SRH course for up to 60 undergraduate students at a public university in California. Before the class is offered, we will conduct 20 in-depth interviews with current students, educators and course design experts to learn from their experiences and seek their guidance on course design. To evaluate the course, enrolled students will complete a pre-course and a post-course survey before and after class is taught, to assess students' attitudes and values relevant to educational concepts and the format and delivery of the course and its modules and activities. Approximately 20 students will take part in an in-depth exit interview, after completing the course, to gather perceptions about how the course impacted their knowledge and behavior. The goal is to refine materials for future in-person course offerings and develop a prototype for a fully online version of the course.

Discussion

This study introduces a novel university-level course to provide young adult students comprehensive, evidence-based education on sexual and reproductive health from a public health perspective. The program leverages existing CSE efforts, enhancing them with academic rigor, inclusive content and digital inclusion. This approach, inclusive of diverse sexual orientations, content on pleasure and sexual violence prevention, aims to fill existing gaps in university curricula and also set a new standard in CSE. The project's innovative and multidisciplinary design offers a model for broader impact within a large public university system and beyond.

An exploration of simulation-based education from other health professionals, to create an informed and effective simulation delivery in a new diagnostic radiography programme

INTRODUCTION

The recent validation of three Diagnostic Radiography programmes in the south of England involved a rigorous approval process with multiple Professional and Statutory Regulatory Bodies (PSRB's). Part of the validation process was evidencing that approximately 50% of each programme is spent undertaking practice-based learning. As well as clinical placements, practice-based learning includes simulation-based education (SBE).

METHODOLOGY

From May 2022 to June 2022, a questionnaire was sent to all 22 simulation education facilitators from health courses belonging to the University School Simulation Group. Ethical approval was reviewed and approved by the Learning and Teaching Hub Research Ethics Panel.

RESULTS

Of the initial 22 participants invited, the response rate was 59% (13 participants). The main themes arising from the analysis was the use of a theoretical or conceptual framework, a breakdown of the simulation session components and the role of simulation training.

CONCLUSION

This questionnaire study demonstrated that there was a need for a standardised guide on how to deliver SBE. There is also a lack of feedback, training, and reassurance for facilitators. However, facilitators would welcome training or further training and HEE and the University have taken steps to prioritise SBE.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

The study highlighted how health professionals are delivering SBE within their subjects in innovative and creative ways. These ideas have helped to structure SBE within the new diagnostic radiography courses at the University.

Structuring knowledge-building in online design education

Design education has traditionally been deemed a face-to-face endeavor causing online learning to be disregarded as a viable teaching option. Nonetheless, the recent impact of COVID-19 pressured design schools to rapidly migrate online, impelling many educators to utilize this unfamiliar and largely dismissed methodology. The impending problems exposed with this sudden shift point to a significant gap in research. Accordingly, this study proposes a set of guidelines targeting design knowledge-building, based on an in-depth look at student experience during an online design course. Data were collected through a 63-item course efficiency survey (n = 59) and a series of semi-structured focus group interviews (n = 16) with the enrolled students. The following overarching themes emerged through iterative thematic analysis of the interview data: (1) flexibility and handling stress, (2) managing self-pacing issues (3) formal conversation platform, (4) content variety and access options. The themes were interpreted in relation to the survey findings and the broader research on learning. The proposed guidelines emphasize initially clear goals and objectives, pacing flexibility with progress guidance, content and communication variety, sense of presence and peer exposure, and individualized feedback. It is expected that the guidelines will be helpful in building, conducting, and evaluating future online design knowledge-building experiences.

Wheelchair service provision education for healthcare professional students, healthcare personnel and educators across low- to high-resourced settings: a scoping review

PURPOSE

This review aimed to collate and summarize available research literature about wheelchair service provision education available to healthcare professional students, healthcare personnel and educators across low- to high-resourced settings.

METHODS

The Joanna Briggs Institute methodological steps for scoping reviews were followed. Included studies were mainly sourced from Medline, Embase, CINAHL, Scopus, Academic Search Complete and ProQuest. Independent title, abstract and full-text screening with defined inclusion and exclusion criteria was performed. All screening and extraction were performed independently by two authors. A thematic approach was used to synthesize results. Data extracted from included studies were charted according to a template that we created. The study quality was also appraised.

RESULTS

A total of 25 articles were included (11, 36% from high-income settings) with 12 (48%) observational studies and 13 (52%) experimental studies. The literature addressed three main topics: (1) assessing wheelchair service provision knowledge, (2) implementing training interventions using in-person, online and/or hybrid learning approaches and (3) describing current wheelchair service provision education globally. The most frequently reported training programs used were the Wheelchair Skills Program and the World Health Organization Wheelchair Service Training Package - Basic Level.

CONCLUSION

Limited information has been published about the integration of wheelchair content into the curricula of professional rehabilitation programs. Efforts to build international partnerships, improve the quality and currency of training programs and build resources that can assist educators in the integration of wheelchair-related content into professional rehabilitation programs should be prioritized.Implications for RehabilitationThis is the first review that examined and synthesized the current state of wheelchair service provision education for rehabilitation students and personnel across low- to high-income countries.Findings from this review indicate that there is limited information about the integration of wheelchair-related content into professional rehabilitation programs.Efforts to build international partnerships, standardize wheelchair service provision content and evaluation and integrate training into professional rehabilitation programs worldwide should be prioritized.

Cognitive complexity of evaluator competencies

A critical aspect of evaluator education and professional learning is to educate evaluators who know the major evaluation models and learn how to manage relationships and solve complex problems when conducting, critiquing, developing and interpreting evaluations. The American and Australian Evaluation Associations have specified desired evaluator competencies, although developing a core curriculum for evaluation still seems elusive. It is suggested that these various competencies can be considered in terms of their levels of cognitive complexity. A model of cognitive complexity is utilised to explore the tasks and thinking of evaluators, leading to an important distinction between 'knowing that' and 'knowing how' in relation to evaluation tasks. As an illustration of this posited relationship, the Australian 'Evaluators Professional Learning Competencies' were coded according to their cognitive complexity. Two-thirds of these competencies were classed as 'knowing that' or surface thinking, and one third were classified as 'knowing how' or deeper thinking. A taxonomy is offered as a method to understand models of learning necessary for evaluator education and training, as well as for further development of professional evaluator competencies.

[Development and validation of a course concept for Tactical Medical Mining Rescue : Standardized training curriculum for mine rescue teams]

Hintergrund

Die Strukturänderung im modernen Bergbau erhöht das Notfallpotenzial ohne Verfügbarkeit einer dem öffentlichen Rettungsdienst vergleichbaren Notfallrettung unter Tage, bei zusätzlich deutlich verlängerten Rettungszeiten.

Fragestellung

Kann die Grubenwehr zur medizinischen Notfallrettung unter Tage ertüchtigt werden?

Material und Methoden

Ein auf typische Notfälle optimiertes medizinisch-taktisches Rettungsschema nebst Ausrüstung wurde entwickelt und medizindidaktisch optimiert in 16 Unterrichtseinheiten geschult. Objective Structured Practical Examinations (OSPE) von 3 geschulten Grubenwehrtrupps a 4 Wehrleuten wurden mittels identischer Prüfung von zufällig ausgewähltem Rettungsdienstreferenzpersonal (17 Teilnehmer unterschiedlicher Ausbildungsniveaus) verglichen.

Ergebnisse

Das medizinisch-taktische Rettungsschema beinhaltet Vitalfunktions- und Bodycheck, Reanimation mit Defibrillation, nasale und intraossäre Medikamentengabe, Atemwegssicherung, Thoraxpunktion, Blutstillung, Tourniquet, Reposition, Schienung sowie Transportlagerung mit Wärmeerhalt. In der OSPE-Prüfung erzielte die Grubenwehr (Mittelwert [M] = 3,42, 95 %-Konfidenzintervall [KI_95 %] = [3,24; 3,60]) gleiche Ergebnisse wie der Rettungsdienst höheren Ausbildungsniveaus (M = 3,28, KI_95 % = [3,09; 3,46]), jedoch deutlich bessere Ergebnisse als Rettungssanitäter (M = 2,43, KI_95 % = [2,10; 2,77]). Das Kompetenzniveau der Grubenwehr blieb nach einem 6‑monatigen übungsfreien Intervall stabil (M = 3,54, KI_95 % = [3,31; 3,73]).

Diskussion

Das erzielte Kompetenzniveau der ausgebildeten Wehrleute nach taktischem Minenrettungskurs ist mit dem öffentlichen Rettungsdienst innerhalb des eng definierten Behandlungsschemas vergleichbar. Die Grubenwehr kann unter Anwendung medizinischer Notkompetenz ein geeignetes Instrument sein, um die Lücke der professionellen Notfallrettung unter Tage zu schließen.

Zusatzmaterial online

Die Onlineversion dieses Beitrags (10.1007/s00063-021-00861-w) enthält die Tabellen A1–A3.

Introductory Medical Spanish Elective: Creating and Evaluating a Case-Based Course Compatible with an 18-Month Pre-Clinical Medical Curriculum

BACKGROUND

Limited English proficiency patients experience high rates of medical errors and receive lower quality of care. To better prepare the healthcare workforce, Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA) members at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) developed an Introductory Medical Spanish course to complement an 18-month pre-clinical curriculum.

METHODS

This 10-week elective course consisted of 2 h of weekly instruction, two Cafecito cultural sessions, and one clinical standardized assessment (CSA). The authors used Bloom's taxonomy as a theoretical framework to design course components. Pre- and post-course surveys captured comfort scores with performing a history and physical (H&P) and building rapport in Spanish. Change in comfort was analyzed via paired T-test in STATA. The authors performed a content analysis of CSA feedback and a thematic analysis of Cafecito reflections.

RESULTS

Fifteen preclinical medical students in cohort 1 and sixteen in cohort 2 completed the 10-week course. Comfort scores significantly (p < 0.05) increased by 2.87 and 1 point(s) for cohorts 1 and 2, respectively. There were differences between cohorts 1 and 2, including self-reported language fluency (93% vs 47% "beginner" level) and value of the cultural sessions (73% vs 50%), respectively. Qualitative content analysis of CSA feedback and thematic analysis of Cafecito reflections revealed students successfully applied learned material to a new case and developed a newfound appreciation for Latinx public health issues.

CONCLUSIONS

This course effectively increased students' comfort using medical Spanish which successfully translated into simulated patient environments. It also provided a space to discuss nuances of health and Latinx cultures with peers. Ultimately, this course's feasible, effective structure can serve as a model to complement condensed pre-clinical undergraduate medical education (UME) curricula.

The development of a training course for clubfoot treatment in Africa: learning points for course development

BACKGROUND

Clubfoot is a common congenital musculoskeletal disorder that causes mobility impairment. There is a lack of trained mid-level personnel to provide clubfoot treatment in Africa and there is no standard training course. This prospective study describes the collaborative and participatory approach to the development of a training course for the treatment of clubfoot in children in resource constrained settings.

METHODS

We used a systems approach to evaluate the development of the training course. Inputs: The research strategy included a review of context and available training materials, and the collection of data on current training practices. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven expert clubfoot trainers. A survey of 32 international and regional trainers was undertaken to inform practical issues. The data were used to develop a framework for training with advice from two technical groups, consisting of regional and international stakeholders and experts.

PROCESS

A consensus approach was undertaken during workshops, meetings and the sharing of documents. The design process for the training materials took twenty-four months and was iterative. The training materials were piloted nine times between September 2015 and February 2017. Processes and materials were reviewed and adapted according to feedback after each pilot.

RESULTS

Fifty-one regional trainers from Africa (18 countries), 21 international experts (11 countries), 113 local providers of clubfoot treatment (Ethiopia, Rwanda and Kenya) and local organising teams were involved in developing the curriculum and pilot testing. The diversity of the two technical advisory groups allowed a wide range of contributions to the collaboration. Output: The resulting curriculum and content comprised a two day basic training and a two day advanced course. The basic course utilised adult learning techniques for training novice providers in the treatment of idiopathic clubfoot in children under two years old. The advanced course builds on these principles.

CONCLUSION

Formative research that included mixed methods (both qualitative and quantitative) was important in the development of an appropriate training course. The process documentation from this study provides useful information to assist planning of medical training programmes and may serve as a model for the development of other courses.

Reconceptualization of a doctoral EBP course from in-class to blended format: lessons learned from a successful transition

In 2008, the University of Maryland School of Nursing transitioned the doctor of nursing practice core courses from an in-class to a blended (hybrid) course delivery method. As part of this transition, the evidence-based practice course was reconceptualized, implemented in its new format, and evaluated after being completed by 2 cohorts. The transition was successful because of a strong open interprofessional team, faculty training in blended course best practices, support by experts in instructional design and Web-based learning throughout the transition, and continual formative evaluation by students and faculty. The resulting course received strong positive evaluations by students and was certified by Quality Matters, indicating the incorporation of best practices in online teaching.