Efficacy Of Education Program Research Articles

Efficacy of Educational Program on Knowledge and Practice of Cervical Screening-Pap Smear Test Among Female Healthcare Workers in Al Falah & Banyas Healthcare Centres, United Arab Emirates

Objective: This study evaluated the efficacy of educational program on knowledge and practice of pap smear test among female healthcare workers in Al Falah & Banyas healthcare centers, UAE Design: Pre-test post-test quasi-experimental study was conducted on efficacy of educational program on knowledge and practice of pap smear test Methods: 108 female health workers were selected using convenience sampling in Al Falah & Banyas healthcare centers, UAE. Data was collected using a self-administered structured questionnaire, analyzed by SPSS version 25. Results: 42.6% work in Al Falah, while 57.4% are in Baniyas healthcare center. The pre-education program shows that 80.6% of female health workers had low and middle knowledge scores regarding cervical cancer and 78.7% about a pap smear test. Post-training, all the study participants had good knowledge scores regarding cervical cancer (p=0.001) and pap smear tests (p=0.030). Poor knowledge score was found among young female health workers (p=0.030) and fewer years of experience (p=0.011) in health workers, physicians, and nurses (p=0.000). Conclusion: The study showed gaps in knowledge among female health workers regarding cervical cancer and Pap smear test. In-service training program about cervical cancer and its screening is an effective educational method to provide an effective base for cervical cancer prevention and improve female health workers’ knowledge and uptake. Practice guarantees quality of life of women

Impact of Coding Curriculum on Dermatology Resident Billing

BackgroundCompetent medical coding is key to maintaining a successful dermatology practice. Resident billing performance can have significant financial implications for the academic institutions employing them. During their residency training, dermatology residents commonly find themselves responsible for the billing of patient encounters. However, despite the importance of adequate knowledge and skill in medical coding, recent data show inadequacies in this aspect of resident education. The goal of this study is to evaluate the impact of an interventional coding curriculum on dermatology residents’ billing accuracy at our institution.MethodologyBilling data, including evaluation and management (E/M) level of service, procedural codes, and current procedural terminology modifiers (if applicable) were queried from the electronic medical records (EMR) at a resident clinic seeing patients on three half-days each week. Billing codes were gathered from patient visits occurring in two separate time periods, before and after the intervention. The intervention consisted of monthly resident lectures on E/M and procedural billing in outpatient dermatology with associated quizzes. Billing accuracy was verified by three attending dermatologists through chart review and compared between the two time periods.ResultsOverall, billing data from 532 patient visits, 267 from the pre-intervention period and 265 from the post-intervention period, were checked for accuracy. The accuracy of resident-billed E/M levels of service was similar between the pre- and post-intervention periods (44.3% vs. 44.8%). Similar rates of undercoding and overcoding were noted between the pre- and post-intervention periods (35.2% undercoded and 8% overcoded vs. 35.7% and 8.9%, respectively). However, substantial improvements were noted in the rate of errors with procedural codes and modifiers in the post-intervention period. Overall, 21.9% of procedural codes were incorrectly billed pre-intervention compared to 3.7% post-intervention (p < 0.05). Moreover, 55.2% of modifiers were incorrectly billed pre-intervention versus 27.3% post-intervention (p < 0.05).ConclusionsOur analysis suggests that billing lectures yielded a clear improvement in resident billing accuracy at our institution. While there was no improvement in E/M coding, there was a significant improvement in the usage of procedural codes and modifiers. Similar analyses can be used by other residency programs to monitor resident billing performance and the efficacy of educational programs on medical billing.

Issues-360TM: an analysis of transformational learning in a controversial issues engagement initiative

ABSTRACT Purpose Unprecedented global challenges of the twenty-first century have highlighted the need for novel programs to train students in the skills necessary to address increasingly complex controversial science issues. Issues-360TM was developed as an innovative year-long co-curricular, issues engagement initiative designed to address this need. Design/methodology Two cohorts of undergraduate students (48) completed three self-reflections over the course of the year. These qualitative measures were inductively coded and analyzed, then triangulated with quantitative outcome measures. Findings Students demonstrated transformational movement across four levels of learning: questioning-self, open-mindedness, stakeholder awareness, and critical thinking (consistent with Mezirow’s meta-theory of transformational learning), and acquisition of five skills: active listening, emotional regulation, respectfulness, empathy and confidence. Theoretical implications This study shows that an innovative curriculum combining Transformational Learning Theory with skills training moves students through Mezirow’s ‘levels of learning’ while also enhancing their controversial issues engagement skills. Practical implications Evidence-based programing can prepare the next generation of agricultural and environmental professionals with the engagement skills necessary to meaningfully address the controversial science-based issues facing society. Originality/value In an environment where scientific issues are increasingly polarized, the innovative design of the Issues 360TM program enhances students’ ability to approach controversial issues with an open mind and the skills to meaningfully engage with others on contested environmental and agricultural issues. Few, if any, studies have demonstrated or tested the efficacy of educational programs combining skills training with Transformational Learning as foundational approaches to develop an effective undergraduate curriculum for controversial issues engagement.

Efficacy of DiaLife, an education program for relatives of adult patients with diabetes \u2013 study protocol of a cluster randomized controlled trial

BackgroundThe global prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) has been increasing over recent decades. In Germany, the prevalence for DM type 1 and type 2 in adults is estimated at about 7.7%. Hence, diabetes has to be classified as a serious public health concern. Being diagnosed with DM and facing possible sequelae might have a negative impact on patients’ mental and physical well-being. However, diabetes not only affects patients themselves, but also their close relatives. To improve the quality of life for patients and relatives alike, the German Association of Diabetes Nurses and Education experts (VDBD) elaborated the first education program tailor-made for relatives of diabetes patients. This article describes the concept and design of the trial evaluating the efficacy of this education program called “DiaLife—Living Together with Diabetes”.MethodsThis evaluation study is a cluster randomized controlled trial, in which the study centers will be randomly assigned either to the intervention group or the control group. Study centers will recruit relatives of and patients with DM type 1 and type 2. Members of the intervention group will participate in the education program DiaLife, whereas participants randomized in the control group will act as waiting-list controls. The study will assess the efficacy of DiaLife by comparing diabetes-related knowledge between the intervention and control groups as the primary outcome for participants. As the primary outcome in patients, the Hba1c value will be assessed. In addition, diabetes-related distress, family interaction, and other secondary endpoints will be considered as secondary outcomes. Long-term efficacy will be assessed 6 and 12 months after intervention. Hierarchical regression models will be used to analyze effects over time.DiscussionWhile there is scientific evidence for the efficacy of education programs addressed to (diabetes) patients, there is a research gap with regard to intervention studies evaluating the efficacy of education programs designed for patients’ relatives. The study results will provide information on the efficacy of the DiaLife education program. In addition, factors that might hinder a successful implementation of an education program for relatives will be identified.Trial registrationGerman Clinical Trials Register, DRKS00015157. Registered on 24 August 2018.

Informed decision-making with and for people with dementia \u2013 efficacy of the PRODECIDE education program for legal representatives: protocol of a randomized controlled trial (PRODECIDE-RCT)

BackgroundIn Germany, the guardianship system provides adults who are no longer able to handle their own affairs a court-appointed legal representative, for support without restriction of legal capacity. Although these representatives only rarely are qualified in healthcare, they nevertheless play decisive roles in the decision-making processes for people with dementia. Previously, we developed an education program (PRODECIDE) to address this shortcoming and tested it for feasibility. Typical, autonomy-restricting decisions in the care of people with dementia—namely, using percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) or physical restrains (PR), or the prescription of antipsychotic drugs (AP)—were the subject areas trained. The training course aims to enhance the competency of legal representatives in informed decision-making. In this study, we will evaluate the efficacy of the PRODECIDE education program.MethodsA randomized controlled trial with a six-month follow-up will be conducted to compare the PRODECIDE education program with standard care, enrolling legal representatives (N = 216). The education program lasts 10 h and comprises four modules: A, decision-making processes and methods; and B, C and D, evidence-based knowledge about PEG, PR and AP, respectively.The primary outcome measure is knowledge, which is operationalized as the understanding of decision-making processes in healthcare affairs and in setting realistic expectations about benefits and harms of PEG, PR and AP in people with dementia. Secondary outcomes are sufficient and sustainable knowledge and percentage of persons concerned affected by PEG, FEM or AP. A qualitative process evaluation will be performed. Additionally, to support implementation, a concept for translating the educational contents into e-learning modules will be developed.DiscussionThe study results will show whether the efficacy of the education program could justify its implementation into the regular training curricula for legal representatives. Additionally, it will determine whether an e-learning course provides a valuable backup or even alternative learning strategy.Trial registrationTRN: ISRCTN17960111, Date: 01/06/2017.

Testing knowledge of eye donation: a survey of intensive care nurses

Introduction: Corneal transplantation is a sight restoring procedure that enhances the recipient’s quality of life. Most deceased patients in Intensive Care Units (ICU) are potential eye donors, but the number of referrals from this group remains low. Understanding how nurses view eye donation and identifying their educational needs is vital in order to increase donation rates while offering choice to patients and families. Purpose: To assess nurses’ knowledge about the identification and referral of potential eye donors. Materials and methods: An online, 18-item, questionnaire survey assessing the knowledge, training and views towards eye donation was emailed to 100 ICU nurses working in a tertiary NHS Trust. Fifty-eight percent (n=58/100) of nurses completed the questionnaire. Results: The majority of nurses (n=50/58) could not identify the medical contraindications to eye donation, just one was aware of the referral process and only two reported that they received previous training on eye donation. Overall, participants were in agreement that corneal transplants improve the recipients’ quality of life (n= 50/58) and that offering eye donation should be considered as part of end-oflife care (n=43/58). However, only seven felt confident raising the subject with relatives. Conclusion: ICU nurses play a pivotal role identifying and discussing the potential for donation. However, the results of this survey showed that the majority of responding nurses lacked knowledge, training and confidence to effectively undertake this role. Therefore there is a need for educational programmes that focus on eye donation and communication skills to be able to offer the choice to patients and families. There is also a scope for research to evaluate the efficacy of educational programmes and their impact on donation rates

Glucocorticoids in systemic sclerosis: patients’ beliefs and treatment adherence

Objectives: To investigate how chronic intake of glucocorticoids (GCs) is perceived by patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) in terms of necessity and concerns, and whether such beliefs influence treatment adherence.Method: Ninety-eight consecutive SSc patients who they had been taking oral GCs for > 3 months prior to the study were enrolled. All patients underwent a clinical evaluation and laboratory investigations, and were asked to complete four self-administered questionnaires: the Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire (Specific-BMQ), the four-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-4), the 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), and the Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index (HAQ-DI). Moreover, patients answered two additional questions investigating their knowledge about GC-related adverse events (AEs).Results: Seventy-seven patients (83.6%) believed in the necessity of GCs for maintaining health but 72.8% also reported concerns about potential AEs to GCs. A high adherence rate was recorded in 64.1% of patients. Only about 20% of patients reported knowing that a daily GC dose and treatment duration influence the burden of GC-related AEs. Patients who believed that GC-related AEs were influenced by the dose scored lower concerns (p = 0.043) and were more frequently labelled as accepting (perceiving high necessity and low concerns) (p = 0.009).Conclusions: The majority of patients taking GCs perceived them as necessary, but high concerns about chronic GC use exist. Patients with a poorer knowledge of the factors associated with GC-related AEs and those with a poorer quality of life were the most worried about these compounds. Experimental studies assessing the efficacy of educational programmes aiming to increase the adherence to GC therapy should be planned in these patients.

Why Can’t a Teacher Be More Like a Scientist? Science, Pseudoscience and the Art of Teaching

In this article, the authors argue the case for scientific evidenced‐based practice in education. They consider what differentiates science from pseudoscience and what sources of information teachers typically regard as reliable. The What Works Clearinghouse is discussed with reference to certain limitations of its current operation. Given the relative paucity of ‘gold standard’ research in education, an alternative model for assessing the efficacy of educational programs is proposed as a temporary solution.

Why Can't a Teacher Be More Like a Scientist? Science, Pseudoscience and the Art of Teaching

In this article, the authors argue the case for scientific evidenced‐based practice in education. They consider what differentiates science from pseudoscience and what sources of information teachers typically regard as reliable. The What Works Clearinghouse is discussed with reference to certain limitations of its current operation. Given the relative paucity of ‘gold standard’ research in education, an alternative model for assessing the efficacy of educational programs is proposed as a temporary solution.

First Graduates' Perceptions on a Problem-Based and Task-Based Learning Curriculum

Determination of graduates' perceptions and suggestions is essential in the evaluation of educational programmes. Dokuz Eylul University School of Medicine (DEUSM), the country's first medical school implementing a Problem-Based Learning (PBL) and Task-Based Learning (TBL) programme, graduated the first students of its new educational programme starting from the 2002-2003 academic year. The aim of the present study is to determine first graduates' perceptions on their self-efficacy and school's educational programme's efficacy. In June 2003, 51 graduating students were asked to use five-point scales to evaluate: the content of the educational programme, the educational methods, communication with educators, assessment methods and instruments, the efficacy of each year of their undergraduate programme and the overall program, their satisfaction levels about educational programme regarding the acquisition of knowledge and skills, their self-efficacy and contentment level of being a physician. In the content of educational programme, the highest score was attributed to "acquisition of behavioural objectives" and the lowest score to "acquisition of basic science knowledge". Regarding the efficacy of educational programme, the highest score was attributed to "communication with educators". The highest scores regarding the satisfaction levels on the acquisition of knowledge and skills provided by the School were attributed to "implementing basic professional procedures" and "history taking" and the lowest score to "selecting appropriate treatment". The graduating students' mainly positive evaluations regarding the efficacy of DEUSM's new educational programme were considered as supportive reflections on the new educational programme. Further studies to monitor our graduates' future professional performances are being envisaged.

Place-Based Randomized Trials to Test the Effects on Instructional Practices of a Mathematics/ Science Professional Development Program for Teachers

Aprofessional development model was designed for and is being tested in approximately fifty U.S. middle schools in five large urban districts, with half in each district randomly assigned to receive the two-year treatment. Each school forms a mathematics/science leadership team of five to seven members, including at least one administrator. Teams receive professional development in district-level workshops, then work with all math and science teachers in their school. The core idea is to provide teachers with data on their instructional practices and student achievement, then teach them how to use that data to improve their effectiveness. This article documents the successes and failures of treatment implementation and the collection of baseline and outcome data. The focus is on learning about doing place-based randomized trials to test the efficacy of education programs. At the time of this writing, treatment is not yet complete and study results are not available.

Efficacy of Office Ergonomics Education

The incidence of musculoskeletal injuries associated with computer use is increasing. Education has been advocated as a prevention method for reducing the incidence and severity of musculoskeletal injuries. Although the inclusion of education in musculoskeletal injury prevention programs has become a popular practice, the efficacy of educational programming is poorly defined in the literature. The present study was designed to investigate the efficacy of worker education programs in preventing musculoskeletal injuries in a population of reservation center employees who spend the majority of their work day using the computer. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three study groups (control, traditional education, or interactive education). Data collection utilized self-report surveys and observational checklists to collect data prior to intervention and at approximately 3, 6, and 12 months post intervention. Preliminary analysis of the data seems to indicate that, overall, education does have some impact on worker comfort, work area configuration, and worker postures.

Assessing the Efficacy of Educational Programs for Musculoskeletal Work Injury Prevention

The efficacy of educational programming to reduce musculoskeletal work injury is poorly defined in the literature. This study investigated current programming offered by ten nationally based companies to determine evaluation methods, the parameters being measured, and measurement frequency. Using a telephone survey approach, researchers used open-ended questions to collect descriptive data from the respondents. Information was collated and categorized into four parameter groupings: descriptive, surveillance, educational program mechanics, and work practices and behavior. The parameters measured and the methods of data collection varied for each company surveyed. Overall, there was a profound lack of comparison of parameters measured over time. In particular, behavior, which has been identified as the key to continuous injury prevention, was not evaluated over time by any of the respondents. Even if current programming has incorporated good prevention strategies, their efficacy cannot be demonstrated without more clearly defined parameters and methods of data collection and analysis.

Evaluation of an italian educational programme for dementia caregivers: Results of a small‐scale pilot study

AbstractThe study investigates the role of the characteristics of direct caregivers and of their demented relatives in the effectiveness of an educational programme for caregivers. Measures of stress, depression and knowledge of the disease were employed to monitor the effects of an eight‐session programme. Variables related to both the caregiver and the patient were significantly related to the degree of improvement during the course. Our conclusion is that the efficacy of educational programmes is related to caregiver‐patient interaction.