Abstract
Evidence-based health care (EBHC) is decision-making for health care, informed by the best research evidence. Doctors, nurses and allied health professionals need to have the necessary knowledge and skills to apply EBHC. The use of electronic learning (e-learning) for EBHC training is increasing.E-learning, compared to no learning, improves EBHC knowledge and skills but not attitudes and behaviour. There is no difference in outcomes when comparing e-learning to face-to-face learning. Combining e-learning with face-to-face learning (blended learning) has a positive impact on EBHC knowledge, skills, attitude and behaviour.
Highlights
1.1 THE PROBLEM, CONDITION OR ISSUEThe need for evidence-based health care competenciesEvidence-based medicine (EBM), introduced in 1991, has its roots in the field of clinical epidemiology and was listed as “one of the 15 greatest medical milestones since 1840” in the British Medical Journal (Montori & Guyatt, 2008)
We considered randomised controlled trials (RCTs), cluster RCTs, non-randomised controlled trials, controlled before-after studies (CBAs) and interrupted time series (ITS) of any healthcare professional at any level of education, evaluating any educational intervention that included any or all of the five steps of Evidence-based health care (EBHC) and was delivered fully or in part via an electronic platform compared to no learning of EBHC, face-to-face learning of EBHC or other forms of e-learning of EBHC
Our findings suggest that e-learning of EBHC, whether pure or blended, compared to no learning, improves EBHC knowledge and skills
Summary
1.1 THE PROBLEM, CONDITION OR ISSUEThe need for evidence-based health care competenciesEvidence-based medicine (EBM), introduced in 1991, has its roots in the field of clinical epidemiology and was listed as “one of the 15 greatest medical milestones since 1840” in the British Medical Journal (Montori & Guyatt, 2008). It requires practitioners to bring together external evidence that informs about the effects of new tests, treatments and interventions; clinical judgement and expertise of the clinician; and the patient’s clinical state, values, preferences, needs and predicament. These days, EBM is commonly referred to as evidence-based practice (EBP) or evidence-based health care (EBHC), as EBM is not limited to medical doctors, but should be adopted by all healthcare practitioners. An important aim of EBHC is that beneficial, effective health care practices are adopted and that harmful and ineffective ones are abandoned. EBHC knowledge - Measured through MCQ tests developed by authors, six questions, based on content covered - Pre-test: after recruitment, before randomization; question and answer sheet sent via email, participants had to return answer sheet within one week. - Post-test: sent via email after one month for intervention group, administered after 4th lecture for face-to-face group
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