Dataset Information

Virtual patients designed for training against medical error: Exploring the impact of decision-making on learner motivation.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Medical error is a significant cause of patient harms in clinical practice, but education and training are recognised as having a key role in minimising their incidence. The use of virtual patient (VP) activities targeting training in medical error allows learners to practice patient management in a safe environment. The inclusion of branched decision-making elements in the activities has the potential to drive additional generative cognitive processing and improved learning outcomes, but the increased cognitive load on learning risks negatively affecting learner motivation. The aim of this study is to better understand the impact that the inclusion of decision-making and inducing errors within the VP activities has on learner motivation.

Methods

Using a repeated study design, over a period of six weeks we provided undergraduate medical students at six institutions in three countries with a series of six VPs written around errors in paediatric practice. Participants were divided into two groups and received either linearly structured VPs or ones that incorporated branched decision-making elements. Having completed all the VPs, each participant was asked to complete a survey designed to assess their motivation and learning strategies.

Results

Our analysis showed that in general, there was no significant difference in learner motivation between those receiving the linear VPs and those who received branched decision-making VPs. The same results were generally reflected across all six institutions.

Conclusions

The findings demonstrated that the inclusion of decision-making elements did not make a significant difference to undergraduate medical students' motivation, perceived self-efficacy or adopted learning strategies. The length of the intervention was sufficient for learners to overcome any increased cognitive load associated with branched decision-making elements being included in VPs. Further work is required to establish any immediate impact within periods shorter than the length of our study or upon achieved learning outcomes.

SUBMITTER: Woodham LA

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6478293 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Virtual patients designed for training against medical error: Exploring the impact of decision-making on learner motivation.

Woodham Luke A LA Round Jonathan J Stenfors Terese T Bujacz Aleksandra A Karlgren Klas K Jivram Trupti T Riklefs Viktor V Poulton Ella E Poulton Terry T

PloS one 20190423 4

<h4>Objectives</h4>Medical error is a significant cause of patient harms in clinical practice, but education and training are recognised as having a key role in minimising their incidence. The use of virtual patient (VP) activities targeting training in medical error allows learners to practice patient management in a safe environment. The inclusion of branched decision-making elements in the activities has the potential to drive additional generative cognitive processing and improved learning o ...[more]

PMID: 31013295

Similar Datasets

Project description:BackgroundSince 1992 ART clinics have been required to report outcome data. Our objective was to assess practitioners' opinions of the impact of public reporting of assisted reproductive technology (ART) outcomes on treatment strategies, medical decision-making, and fellow training.MethodsSurvey study performed in an academic medical center. Members of the Society of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility and the Society of Reproductive Surgery were recruited to participate in an online survey in April 2012.: Categorical survey responses were expressed as percentages. Written responses were categorized according to common themes regarding effects of reporting on participants' medical management of patients. The study was primarily qualitative and was not powered to make statistical conclusions.ResultsOf 1019 surveys sent, 323 participants (31.7%) responded from around the United States, and 275 provided complete data. Nearly all (273 of 282; 96.8%) participants responded that public reporting sometimes or always affected other providers' practices, and 264 of 281 (93.9%) responded that other practitioners were motivated to deny care to poor-prognosis patients to improve reported success rates. However, only 121 of 282 (42.9%) indicated that public reporting influenced their own medical management. The majority of respondents agreed that public reporting may hinder adoption of single embryo transfer practices (194 of 299; 64.9%) and contribute to the persistent rate of twinning in in vitro fertilization (187 of 279; 67%). A small majority (153 of 279; 54.8%) felt that public reporting did not benefit fellow training, and 58 (61.7%) of the 94 participants who trained fellows believed that having fellows perform embryo transfers reduced pregnancy rates. A small majority (163 of 277; 58.8%) of respondents reported their ART success rates on clinical websites. However, the majority (200 of 275; 72.7%) of respondents compared their success rates with those of other clinics. Finally, most respondents (211 of 277; 76%) believed that most centers that advertised their success rates did so in ways that were misleading to patients.ConclusionsPublic reporting of ART clinical outcomes is intended to drive improvement, promote trust between patients and providers, and inform consumers and payers. However, providers reported that they modified their practices, felt others denied care to poor-prognosis patients, and limited participation of trainees in procedures in response to public reporting of ART outcomes.

Dataset Information

Virtual patients designed for training against medical error: Exploring the impact of decision-making on learner motivation.

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Virtual patients designed for training against medical error: Exploring the impact of decision-making on learner motivation.

Similar Datasets

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