Abstract
Background: The COVID-19 outbreak was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11th, 2020. An ongoing challenge in healthcare is ensuring that up-to-date and high-quality research evidence is implemented in practice. In the context of a global pandemic it is assumed, given the increased pressures on healthcare professionals that this problem has the potential to be exacerbated. Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in many health professionals being reassigned to areas outside their usual scope, returning to practice following absence or commencing their career as new entrants in the midst of a major crisis. These professionals are likely to require additional support to assist their confidence and competence. Aims: This project has two broad aims: to design and deliver an online educational platform to support nursing and allied health professionals in their clinical practice throughout the pandemic and to evaluate that platform and its implementation. Methods: The research protocol for this study consists of two work streams: the development and delivery of the online platform; and the project evaluation. This research will have a mixed methods approach including website data analytics, quantitative surveys and qualitative data analysis of semi-structured interviews. Conclusion: Through knowledge brokering and adherence to principles of effective technology-enhanced-learning this project will provide an accessible, individualised online educational resource to effectively meet the needs of individual nurses and allied health professionals in this unprecedented time. The evaluation of the platform and its implementation will provide key learning for future initiatives and may act as proof-of-concept for other organisations and countries seeking to support healthcare professionals’ knowledge needs during similar future pandemics.
Highlights
COVID-19 is a disease caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2
Provide an accessible, individualised online educational resource to effectively meet the needs of individual nurses and allied health professionals in this unprecedented time
An ongoing challenge in healthcare is ensuring that up-to-date and high-quality research evidence is implemented in practice, a situation which persists despite the positive attitudes of healthcare professionals to research[4,5,6,7]
Summary
COVID-19 is a disease caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. The World Health Organization was first notified of this new virus on the 31st December 2019 and it declared the COVID-19 outbreak as a pandemic on March 11th 20201. The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in many qualified health professionals being reassigned to areas outside their usual scope of practice, returning to practice following absence or commencing their career as new entrants during a major crisis. The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in many health professionals being reassigned to areas outside their usual scope, returning to practice following absence or commencing their career as new entrants in the midst of a major crisis. These professionals are likely to require additional support to assist their confidence and competence. Conclusion: Through knowledge brokering and adherence to principles of effective technology-enhanced-learning this project will
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
