Cross-discipline teaching and learning of cardiology through an augmented reality application

Undergraduate health sciences and health professional degree programmes introduce students to common heart diseases and associated treatments, including atrial fibrillation (AF). Our students, second-year biomedical science and pharmacy students, through formal and informal feedback on their learning experience with cardiology, noted AF as the most difficult to comprehend. The learning challenges include electrophysiology and pharmacology aspects of AF. This study, therefore, aims to investigate the potential use of augmented reality (AR) to enhance students’ engagement and understanding of AF. Based upon students’ feedback, and guided by the learning outcomes of our degree programmes, we developed an AR application (App) to teach AF, covering general as well as discipline-specific learning content. The development was done through an iterative process, grounded in the constructivist learning theories. A survey consisting of 13 Likert-scale questions and an open-ended question formulated around user interface principles was conducted to gather students’ feedback of the App. Thirteen per cent of pharmacy students ( This study shows that AR technology has enhanced students’ engagement as well as perception of understanding of AF, specifically in the areas that students find difficult. This authentic learning tool has successfully addressed some of the learning challenges raised by students of both disciplines. Students’ positive feedback suggests that a carefully designed AR App, guided by learning theories, is a suitable and viable option to improve students’ understanding of complex subjects, apart from making learning immersive and engaging

A Conceptual Framework for Simulation in Healthcare Education

The purpose of this research was the development of a conceptual framework for simulation in healthcare education. A social constructivist perspective guided this study

The political ramifications of changes in the delivery of nursing education in Victoria

Thesis (M.Ed.)--University of Melbourne, 1994The purpose of this research was to determine; whether, between 1974 and 1987, undergraduate Nursing education in the Colleges of Advanced Education tended to politicize the new recruits to the profession via curricula. whether those asked to participate in the research believed that there was a level of information being provided during their Nursing course which they considered to be political in nature. whether those asked to participate in the research believed that this level of information that they considered to be political in nature influenced their subsequent participation in activities which could be considered in turn to be political in nature. what constraints in the workplace were identified by those asked to participate in the research, which may have adversely effected any political activity they may have been involved in, or influenced by. whether there were any other real or conceptual factors not identified or not specifically addressed in the research which could have impacted on the research participants, and possibly influenced their responses, and thus, research outcomes. Subsequent to the research, the information obtained would be scrutinized for possible outcomes, ramifications and commented on. This process is more formerly addressed in the methodology

A conceptual framework for simulation in healthcare education - the need

This study used a social constructivist approach to explore the literature in relation to the acknowledgment and application of models and frameworks in simulation based learning and teaching activities in health care education. This paper addresses the data collection phases in the research design in developing a Conceptual Framework for Simulation in Healthcare Education. Background -Two literature review activities occurred in the study. The first literature review explored the challenges in the literature for further research in relation to the educational factors that have an impact upon simulation as a learning and teaching modality. This part of the research process was to identify the publications that address simulation as a learning and teaching modality and uncover evidence to justify the study. The literature revealed that there were limited publications in relation to simulation as a learning and teaching modality that was underpinned by a conceptual framework. Design - The study research design employed Evaluation Research to conduct a further intensive review of the literature as part of phase one of data collection. The second part of phase one of data collection was the surveying of randomly selected simulation education centres around the world to ascertain their employment of a conceptual framework in the application of simulation as a learning and teaching modality. Phase two was the genesis of the conceptual framework and Phase three was the evaluation of the draft framework by simulation experts, who were selected by a modified Delphi Technique. Results - The intensive literature review highlighted that authors acknowledged education-based theories but this did not extend to the application of a conceptual framework to simulation as a learning and teaching modality. The survey provided the evidence to support the development of a Conceptual Framework for Simulation in Healthcare Education for the conceptualisation, design, development and delivery of simulation teaching and learning activities in health care education. The simulation experts provided valuable data and commentary in the final formation of the conceptual framework. Conclusion – Based on the outcomes of the literature review, questionnaire and modified Delphi Technique the need for the development, and subsequent structure and utility of the Conceptual Framework for Simulation in Healthcare Education was verified

Procedural skills practice and training needs of doctors, nurses, midwives and paramedics in rural Victoria

Introduction: Procedural skills are a significant component of clinical practice. Doctors, nurses, midwives and paramedics are trained to use a variety of procedural skills. Rural clinicians in particular are often required to maintain competence in some procedural skills that are used infrequently, and which may require regular and repeated rehearsal. This paper reports on a research project conducted in Gippsland, Victoria, to ascertain the frequency of use, and relevance to clinical practice, of a range of skills in the fields of medicine, nursing, midwifery, and paramedic practice. The project also gathered data on the attitudes of clinicians regarding how frequently and by what means they thought they needed to practice these skills with a particular focus on the use of simulation as an educational method.Methods: The research was conducted following identification of a specific set of procedural skills for each professional group. Skills were identified by an expert steering committee. We developed online questionnaires that consisted of two parts: 1) demographic and professional characteristics, and 2) experience of procedural skills and perceived training needs. We sought to invite all practicing clinicians (doctors, nurses, midwives, paramedics) working in Gippsland. Online surveys were distributed between November 2011 and April 2012 with three follow-up attempts. The Monash University Human Research Ethics Committee approved the study.Results: Valid responses were received from 58 doctors, 94 nurses, 46 midwives, and 30 paramedics, whom we estimate to represent not more than 20% of current clinicians within these professions. This response rate reflected some of the difficulties experienced in the conduct of the research. Results were tabulated for each professional group across the range of skills. There was significant correlation between the frequency of certain skills and confidence with maintenance of these skills. This did not necessarily correlate with perceptions of respondents as to how often they need to practice each skill to maintain mastery. The more complex the skill, the more likely the respondents were to report a need for frequent rehearsal of the skill. There was variation between the professional groups as to how to retain mastery; for some skills, professional groups reported skill maintenance through clinical observation and clinical practice; for other skills, simulation was seen to be more appropriate.Conclusion: This project provided insight into the clinical application of procedural skills for clinicians comprising a relatively large professional population within a defined geographical region in rural Victoria, as well as attitudes to skills maintenance and competency. Although not the focus of the study, an unexpected outcome was the design of questionnaires on procedural skills. We believe that the questionnaires may have value in other rural settings. We acknowledge the limitations of the study in the text. The project provides some information on which to base planning for procedural skills education, including simulation-based training, and directions for further research