Evaluation of an E-learning Program for Assessing Pressure Ulcer Risk and Pressure Ulcer Classification - a Pilot Study

Randomized Controlled Trial to Evaluate the Effect of E-learning on Nurses Ability to Assess Patient Risk for Pressure Ulcers and Pressure Ulcer Classification

The purpose of this study is to determine wether e-learning is a more effective than traditional classroom teaching at norwegian nurses ability to use the Braden risk assessment scale and pressure ulcer classification.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Learning; Efficiency
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: traditional classroom training; Other: e-learning

Detailed Description

Most pressure ulcers (PU)can be prevented and assessment of the patient skin and risk factors for pressure ulcers is the first step. Epidemiological studies are also an important element in the prevention of PU and requires consistent registration based on standardized definitions and tools. Staff knowledge is critical in this work. However showed a Norwegian pilot study on the prevalence of PU deficient knowledge among nursing staff in terms reliable classification of PU and PU-assessment of risk. The pilot study showed the need for training to reduce the incidence of pressure ulcers and to ensure data quality in future studies.

E-learning is an alternative to traditional courses and will help to streamline and standardize training by allowing a larger number of personnel be reached with this method of training. It is not designed Norwegian e-learning program that addresses the use of risk assessment instrument or classification of PU. We have developed one program to train personnel in the PU-classification and risk assessment and plan to evaluate this. The program will be an important contribution to the PU-prevention as well as the program will be used in the execution of a multicenter prevalence study of PU-prevalence.

Nurses will randomly assign to a lecture, e-learning or to a control group. The lecture and e-learning are based on the same content. The nurses will score five patient cases with braden scale before and after intervention and 20 pictures of pressure ulcers in different categories before and 40 after intervention. The control group will only do a pretest.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 68
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Norway
  • Oslo, Norway, 0424
    • Oslo University Hospital

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 67 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• registered nurse and postgraduate nurse working at somatic ward, emergency ward, surgical department, intensive care unit,recovery, nursinghome or homecare

Exclusion Criteria:

• working at maternity ward, pediatric ward, psychiatric ward

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Factorial Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Other: traditional Classroom training; one group of nurses receive traditional classroom training to learn about the braden scale and pressure ulcer classification	Other: traditional classroom training; Braden scale and pressure ulcer classification
Other: e-learning; one group of nurses receive e-learning as a training method to learn about the braden scale and classification of pressure ulcer	Other: e-learning; Braden scale and pressure ulcer classification

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Braden scale score	Both subscale and total sum on five patient cases are collected using Braden scale at baseline (right before and right after the intervention) to see if the intervention is giving a change in the score. At 12 weeks and 24 weeks to see if the knowledge remains.	up to 24 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Pressure ulcer classification	pressure ulcer photos in different categories are scored by normal skin, category 1,2, 3 or 4. Baseline (right before and right after the intervention) to see if the intervention is giving a change in the score. At 12 weeks and 24 weeks to see if the knowledge remains.	up to 24 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Oslo University Hospital
• Collaborators: Norwegian Nurses Organisation; Sophies Minde Ortopedi AS
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Ida M. Bredesen, PhDcandidate, Oslo University Hospital

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: March 1, 2012
• Primary Completion (Actual): December 1, 2012
• Study Completion (Actual): December 1, 2012

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: March 20, 2012
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 28, 2012
• First Posted (Estimate): March 30, 2012

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): October 23, 2014
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 22, 2014
• Last Verified: October 1, 2014

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: education; e-learning
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Skin Diseases; Skin Ulcer; Pressure Ulcer
• Other Study ID Numbers: 2012/471