Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-tj2md Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-24T20:24:29.588Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A Web-Based Course on Infection Control for Physicians in Training An Educational Intervention

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 June 2016

Mohamad G. Fakih ,
Iram Enayet ,
Steven Minnick  and
Louis D. Saravolatz
Mohamad G. Fakih*
Affiliation:
Department of Medicine, Wayne State University School of Medicine, St. John Hospital and Medical Center, Detroit, Michigan Departments of Infection Control, St. John Hospital and Medical Center, Detroit, Michigan
Iram Enayet
Affiliation:
Division of Infectious Diseases, St. John Hospital and Medical Center, Detroit, Michigan
Steven Minnick
Affiliation:
Medical Education, St. John Hospital and Medical Center, Detroit, Michigan
Louis D. Saravolatz
Affiliation:
Department of Medicine, Wayne State University School of Medicine, St. John Hospital and Medical Center, Detroit, Michigan Internal Medicine, St. John Hospital and Medical Center, Detroit, Michigan
*
St. John Hospital and Medical Center, 19251 Mack Avenue, Suite 340, Grosse Pointe Woods, MI 48236 (mohamad.fakih@stjohn.org)
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objective.

To evaluate the effectiveness of a Web-based course on infection control accessed by physicians in training.

Design.

Educational intervention.

Setting.

A 607-bed urban teaching hospital.

Participants.

A total of 55 physicians in training beginning their first postgraduate year (the iPGYl group) and 59 physicians completing their first, second, or third postgraduate year (the oPGY group).

Intervention.

Individuals in the iPGYl group took a Web-based course on infection control practices.

Measurements.

Persons in the iPGYl group who took the Web-based course completed an evaluation test consisting of 15 multiple-choice questions (total possible score, 15 points). The same test was given to persons in the oPGY group, who did not take the Web-based course. We compared scores of the Web-based test taken by subjects in the iPGYl group immediately after the course with scores of the test they took 3 months after the course and with test scores of subjects in the oPGY group.

Results.

The mean score (±SD) for subjects in the iPGYl group who took the Web-based course was 10.6 ± 2.2, compared with 8.0 ± 2.5 for subjects in the oPGY group (P<.001). The mean score (±SD) for subjects in the iPGYl group 3 months after completing the course decreased to 8.0 ± 2.4 (P< .001 by the paired f test). For the oPGY group, significant differences were found between the scores (±SD) for subjects in the internal medicine (9.9 ± 2.3), emergency medicine (8.4 ± 1.7), pediatrics (7.0 ± 1.7), and family medicine (5.8 ± 1.6) residency programs (P< .001); there were no significant differences in scores according to the year of residency.

Conclusions.

Web-based infection control courses are an attractive teaching tool for physicians in training and need to be considered for teaching infection control. The evaluation of information retention will help identify physicians in training who require further training.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 27 , Issue 7 , July 2006 , pp. 704 - 708
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 2006

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Wenzel, RP, Edmond, MB. The impact of hospital-acquired bloodstream infections. Emerg Infect Dis 2001; 7:174–177.Google Scholar
2. Davis, D, O'Brien, MA, Freemantle, N, Wolf, FM, Mazmanian, P, Taylor-Vaisey, A. Impact of formal continuing medical education: do conferences, workshops, rounds, and other traditional continuing education activities change physician behavior or health care outcomes? JAMA 1999; 282: 867–874.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3. Mazmanian, PE, Davis, DA. Continuing medical education and the physician as a learner: guide to the evidence. JAMA 2002; 288:1057–1060.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4. Bell, DS, Fonarow, GC, Hays, RD, Mangione, CM. Self-study from Web-based and printed guideline material. Ann Intern Med 2000; 132:938–946.Google Scholar
5. Cook, DA, Dupras, DM, Thompson, WG, Pankratz, VS. Web-based learning in residents' continuity clinics: a randomized, controlled trial. Acad Med 2005; 80:90–97.Google Scholar
6. Howatson-Jones, L. Designing web-based education courses for nurses. Nurs Stand 2004; 19:41–44.Google Scholar
7. McKimm, J, Jollie, C, Cantillon, P. ABC of learning and teaching: Web based learning. BMJ 2003; 326:870–873.Google Scholar