E Learning for Evidencebased Practice

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E Learning for Evidence-based Practice

• Computing for Health Professionals

George Kernohan Health Research
Paul McCullagh Coordinator Medical Informatics
Sylvia Alexander Manager LTSN-ICS
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Overview

• Computers in health, for delivery of
  evidence-based practice, using a Virtual Campus
  learning environment
• Six-year experience. Students need flexibility
  support
• Integration of ICS into vocational training
• Future plans

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Computers in health

• In medical informatics we develop and assess
  methods and systems for the acquisition,
  processing, and interpretation of patient data
  with the help of knowledge that is obtained in
  scientific research.
• HANDBOOK of MEDICAL INFORMATICS van Bemmel
  Musen
• http//www.mieur.nl/mihandbook/

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Evidence-based practice

• the conscientious and judicious use of current
  best evidence from clinical care research in the
  management of individual patients
• (Sackett et al. 1996)

Clinical experience
Research
Patient values
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Evidence-based practice

• The process consists of five well-defined steps
• formulation of an answerable question,
• systematic literature search appraisal of
  validity,
• integration of evidence with clinical experience
  patient preferences,
• implementation of the evidence-based practice
  decision, and,
• evaluation of the patient outcome
• (DiCenso et al. 2000, Guyatt Rennie 2002)

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WebCT used to deliver EBP through content pages,
with students guided by calendar entries, to
enter into debate discussion
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Six-year experience

• 100 students since January 1999
• MSc Prescribing Science Primary Care/General
  Practice Occupational Therapy Physiotherapy
  Speech Language therapy short-course
• Follow five stages of EBP through individual,
  peer discussion group-work in weekly virtual
  (real) class

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Virtual (real) class
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Students need flexibility support

• Access to the lab on Wednesday afternoon, if you
  wished, and the peer support from the other
  students, were positive features (student)
• The amount of student involvement in the
  electronic discussion is particularly
  interesting (examiner 1)
• The mixture of individual and group work
  capitalised on the on the intention to make this
  award multiprofessional (examiner 1)

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ICS Integration into vocational training

• Synchronous delivery worked, each Wednesday
  afternoon
• Mixed learning methods were popular
• Students provided peer support enjoyed
  group-work
• Professional relevance was welcomed

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Meeting the international agenda
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Future plans

• Ongoing evaluation of this delivery mode
• Growth in provision through e-Tutor
• Extend use of tools for automatic feedback,
  student assessment group work