Design considerations for delivering e-learning to surgical trainees

Copyright © 2011, IGI Global. Distributed with permission.Challenges remain in leveraging e-health technologies for continuous medical education/professional development. This study examines the interface design and learning process features related to the use of multimedia in providing effective support for the knowledge and practice of surgical skills. Twenty-one surgical trainees evaluated surgical content on a CD-ROM format based on 14 interface design and 11 learning process features using a questionnaire adapted from an established tool created to assess educational multimedia. Significant Spearman’s correlations were found for seven of the 14 interface design features – ‘Navigation’, ‘Learning demands’, ‘Videos’, ‘Media integration’, ‘Level of material’, ‘Information presentation’ and ‘Overall functionality’, explaining ratings of the learning process. The interplay of interface design and learning process features of educational multimedia highlight key design considerations in e-learning. An understanding of these features is relevant to the delivery of surgical training, reflecting the current state of the art in transferring static CD-ROM content to the dynamic web or creating CD/web hybrid models of education

Awareness of surgeons and surgical trainees of online web-based techniques for teaching laparoscopic surgery in north Queensland

Background: For generations, surgical training has followed the example of an apprenticeship model. However, many doctors see this training as insufficient and potentially unsafe for the patient. Web-based simulation training for teaching laparoscopic surgery is not only becoming increasingly popular but is cheaper in comparison to the traditional apprenticeship method. Objective is to assess the educational value of web-based training videos Methods: Data was obtained through questionnaires sent to consultant surgeons and surgical trainees at three sites in North Queensland. Study invited participants to complete a 24-item questionnaire on knowledge and attitudes. The questionnaires were distributed using online survey monkey software to send emails to the three Government Hospitals. Results: There was a response rate of 11.40%, Consultant surgeons (13/17; 72.20%) and surgical trainees (4/17; 22.20%). Majority of participant`s sources of learning laparoscopic surgery was from supervisors in operating theatre (64.30%) and online Web-based training video (WBTV; 7.10%), although satisfaction with current web-based training video resources was found to vary widely for a variety of reasons. WBTV were used mainly when required for clinical rotation. Conclusions: There was a response rate of 11.40%, Consultant surgeons (13/17; 72.20%) and surgical trainees (4/17; 22.20%). Majority of participant`s sources of learning laparoscopic surgery was from supervisors in operating theatre (64.30%) and online Web-based training video (WBTV; 7.10%), although satisfaction with current web-based training video resources was found to vary widely for a variety of reasons. WBTV were used mainly when required for clinical rotation

Reshaping ophthalmology training after COVID-19 pandemic

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had a significant impact on practical activities and didactic teaching of residents and fellows. This survey aimed to propose long-term changes for ophthalmology training based on the changes experienced by trainees and their perception of new training opportunities. Methods: An online survey was distributed to ophthalmology trainees in multiple countries. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data. Results: A total of 504 analyzable responses were collected from 32 different countries. The current impact of COVID-19 pandemic was described as “severe” by most trainees (55.2%); however, the future perspective was more optimistic as demonstrated by the greater number of responses reporting a presumed “moderate” (37.3%), “mild” (14.1%) or “slight” (4.2%) long-term impact. The vast majority of trainees reported a decrease ≥50% of clinical activity (76.4%) and >75% of surgical activity (74.6%). Although an initial gap in didactic teaching has been experienced by many (55.4%), regular web-based teaching was reportedly attended by 67.7% of the respondents. A strong agreement was found regarding the worthwhile role of web-based case-presentations in clinical training (91.7%), web-based discussion of edited surgical videos (85.7%) and simulation-based practice (86.9%) in surgical training. Conclusions: This survey, focusing on trainees’ perspective, strongly reinforces the need to promptly include new technology-based training tools, such as web-based teaching, virtual surgical simulators, and telementoring, in long-term reorganisation of ophthalmology training to ensure its continuity and effectiveness, which would remain available even in the face of another unpredictable crisis within the health systempublishersversionPeer reviewe

Reshaping ophthalmology training after COVID-19 pandemic

Background The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had a significant impact on practical activities and didactic teaching of residents and fellows. This survey aimed to propose long-term changes for ophthalmology training based on the changes experienced by trainees and their perception of new training opportunities. Methods An online survey was distributed to ophthalmology trainees in multiple countries. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data. Results A total of 504 analyzable responses were collected from 32 different countries. The current impact of COVID-19 pandemic was described as "severe" by most trainees (55.2%); however, the future perspective was more optimistic as demonstrated by the greater number of responses reporting a presumed "moderate" (37.3%), "mild" (14.1%) or "slight" (4.2%) long-term impact. The vast majority of trainees reported a decrease >= 50% of clinical activity (76.4%) and >75% of surgical activity (74.6%). Although an initial gap in didactic teaching has been experienced by many (55.4%), regular web-based teaching was reportedly attended by 67.7% of the respondents. A strong agreement was found regarding the worthwhile role of web-based case-presentations in clinical training (91.7%), web-based discussion of edited surgical videos (85.7%) and simulation-based practice (86.9%) in surgical training. Conclusions This survey, focusing on trainees' perspective, strongly reinforces the need to promptly include new technology-based training tools, such as web-based teaching, virtual surgical simulators, and telementoring, in long-term reorganisation of ophthalmology training to ensure its continuity and effectiveness, which would remain available even in the face of another unpredictable crisis within the health system

Stress in surgical educational environments: a systematic review

Background The effects of stress on surgical residents and how stress management training can prepare residents to effectively manage stressful situations is a relevant topic. This systematic review aimed to analyze the literature regarding (1) the current stress monitoring tools and their use in surgical environments, (2) the current methods in surgical stress management training, and (3) how stress affects surgical performance. Methods A search strategy was implemented to retrieve relevant articles from Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed. The 787 initially retrieved articles were reviewed for further evaluation according to the inclusion/exclusion criteria (Prospero registration number CRD42021252682). Results Sixty-one articles were included in the review. The stress monitoring methods found in the articles showed heart rate analysis as the most used monitoring tool for physiological parameters while the STAI-6 scale was preferred for psychological parameters. The stress management methods found in the articles were mental-, simulation- and feedback-based training, with the mental-based training showing clear positive effects on participants. The studies analyzing the effects of stress on surgical performance showed both negative and positive effects on technical and non-technical performance. Conclusions The impact of stress responses presents an important factor in surgical environments, affecting residents’ training and performance. This study identified the main methods used for monitoring stress parameters in surgical educational environments. The applied surgical stress management training methods were diverse and demonstrated positive effects on surgeons’ stress levels and performance. There were negative and positive effects of stress on surgical performance, although a collective pattern on their effects was not clear.publishedVersio

Does WBT for the HER Meet the Needs of the Medical Surgical Nurse?

Healthcare organizations are beginning to implement the tools needed to receive government stimulus money for meaningful use. The use of electronic health records is directly related to the amount of stimulus funding available to each healthcare organization. Nurse educators are examining innovative training tools to implement in order to meet the needs of the organizations. The purpose of this paper is to examine the question is web-based training an effective model for training nurses on the electronic health record. A pilot study was created to examine the question. The focus group included medical surgical nurses that had taken web-based training. The paper will address the educational gaps related to this topic and provide recommendations from the pilot study and literature

Impact Of COVID-19 Pandemic On Ophthalmology Residency Training- A Cross-Sectional Survey Among Pakistani Residents

Background: The purpose of this study was to get an idea of the impact of COVID-19 on Ophthalmology post-graduate training. Materials & methods: This cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted at the College of Ophthalmology and Allied Vision Sciences/Eye Unit III (King Edward Medical University), Lahore from 01-03-2021 to 31-08-2021. A web-based close-ended questionnaire (Google form) was developed consisting of questions related to residency training in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Eighty-one Ophthalmology residents from across the country participated in this survey. Based on the responses to 21 questions, percentages of various variables in questions were calculated. Data analysis was done on SPSS version 22. Responses to questions are mainly presented as percentages. A chi-square test was applied to see the significant difference in survey questions. For categorical variables, Fisher’s Exact test was applied. P-value ≤0.05 is considered significant. Results: Twenty-seven ophthalmology residents were 1st year residents 23 were 2nd year residents while 3rd and 4th year residents were 14 and 17 respectively. 33% of residents thought their surgical training was affected badly due to covid-19 pandemic while 55% of them were concerned about their basic cataract surgery skills. 67% of residents were in favour of their training extension for 6-12 months. The majority of residents stated that COVID-19 affected their training adversely (p=0.000) and cataract surgery training was the most affected one (p=0.000) Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic has severely affected the clinical and surgical training of post-graduate ophthalmology residents. Formulation of institution-based & nationwide short and long-term strategies regarding web-based teaching, surgical simulation courses and necessary adjustments in curriculum are the need of the hour. &nbsp

Delirium Education for Nurses on a Medical-Surgical Unit

Failure to recognize delirium compromises patient safety and may lead to harmful outcomes. By June 2015, nurses on medical-surgical units will screen 100-percent of patients for delirium according to an established protocol. The project mesosystem is a 411-bed, level I trauma center and teaching hospital; the microsystem is a 28-bed medical-surgical telemetry unit. An audit of microsystem data collected over four months in 2014 revealed that delirium was consistently underidentified (10% in September, 26% in October, 34% in November, and 22% in December), suggesting that medical-surgical nurses were not equipped to effectively perform delirium screening. Nursing education consisting of bedside teaching, web-based learning, and use of training manuals created from evidence-based literature was scheduled from March through May. 100% of medical-surgical nurses completed the mandatory web-based delirium education video in March. Delirium “champions” were recruited to lead bedside training in May, and individual pocket cards featuring the CAM screening and nursing interventions were created and distributed to nurses. Follow-up surveys and random chart audits will promote nursing consistency in screening for delirium, documenting results in the EMR, implementing interventions, and collaborating with physicians. Survey and audit results will be evaluated and compared to the previous audit and national reported data in order to identify and correct gaps in the education process

TELMA: technology enhanced learning environment for Minimally Invasive Surgery

One of the most important revolutions in the past few decades in clinical practice has been motivated by the introduction of Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) techniques, which have spread amongst almost all surgical specialities. MIS training is a principal component of the education of new surgical residents, with an increasing demand for knowledge and skills for medical students and surgeons. Technology enhanced learning (TEL) solutions can deal with the growing need for MIS learning. This research work aims to develop a MIS learning environment based on web technologies, named TELMA, which will respond to the growing amount of information and multimedia surgical contents available (mainly intervention’s video recording libraries), in compliance with specific learning needs of surgical students and professionals, enhancing their competence on MIS cognitive skills. Furthermore, TELMA will support knowledge capturing, sharing and reuse, and effective management of didactic contents through personalised and collaborative services

On the Job: Dr. Karen Chojnacki, Residency Program Director

Karen Chojnacki, MD, FACS, who has directed the General Surgery Residency Program for the past three years, was a resident at Jefferson from 1995 to 2000 – and loved it. Following a fellowship in minimally invasive surgery at the University of Southern California and a brief stint in private practice, she returned to Jefferson in early 2002, jumping at the chance to capture her “dream job” and buoyed by memories of the institution’s camaraderie and professionalism. “Whoever said ‘You can’t go home again’ didn’t have a home like Jefferson,” she says. “I lead the program that helped make me the physician I am today, and now it’s my turn to give back and help residents develop the careers they want.” During Dr. Chojnacki’s tenure the program has undergone several changes. Prior to the start of the program, incoming interns must complete the web-based American College of Surgeons (ACS) Fundamentals of Surgery Curriculum™ which guides them through common surgical problems. A formal program in bedside procedure training was initiated to train all PGY-1 (first post-graduate year) residents in procedures including central line placement, bronchoscopy, suturing, and foley catheter placement, through lectures and virtual practice in the Laparoscopic and Simulation Training Laboratory. Upon completion of this course, they must be supervised through and attain passing evaluations for a number of these procedures before performing them independently. The overall curriculum has changed to follow the SCORE (Surgical Council on Resident Education) curriculum, a competency based standard national curriculum created by a task force of the ACS and the American Board of Surgery (ABS). These changes are paying off. “We have one of the best residency programs in the region,” said Dr. Chojnacki, “and since we emphasize research, over 90 percent of our residents secure the fellowships of their choice.