Evidence map›Paper›PMID 25344483›Full record

Trial reportBMJ open2014

Improvement of drug dose calculations by classroom teaching or e-learning: a randomised controlled trial in nurses.

Bjoerg O Simonsen, Gro K Daehlin, Inger Johansson, Per G Farup

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMJ open, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. E-learning for health professionals.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2018
    Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Article
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Bjoerg O SimonsenDepartment of Quality and Patient Safety, Innlandet Hospital Trust, Brumunddal, Norway.
Gro K DaehlinFaculty of Health Care and Nursing, Gjoevik University College, Gjoevik, Norway.
Inger JohanssonFaculty of Health Care and Nursing, Gjoevik University College, Gjoevik, Norway.
Per G FarupUnit for Applied Clinical Research, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionInsufficient skills in drug dose calculations increase the risk for medication errors. Even experienced nurses may struggle with such calculations. Learning flexibility and cost considerations make e-learning interesting as an alternative to classroom teaching. This study compared the learning outcome and risk of error after a course in drug dose calculations for nurses with the two methods.

methodsIn a randomised controlled open study, nurses from hospitals and primary healthcare were randomised to either e-learning or classroom teaching. Before and after a 2-day course, the nurses underwent a multiple choice test in drug dose calculations: 14 tasks with four alternative answers (score 0-14), and a statement regarding the certainty of each answer (score 0-3). High risk of error was being certain that incorrect answer was correct. The results are given as the mean (SD).

results16 men and 167 women participated in the study, aged 42.0 (9.5) years with a working experience of 12.3 (9.5) years. The number of correct answers after e-learning was 11.6 (2.0) and after classroom teaching 11.9 (2.0) (p=0.18, NS); improvement were 0.5 (1.6) and 0.9 (2.2), respectively (p=0.07, NS). Classroom learning was significantly superior to e-learning among participants with a pretest score below 9. In support of e-learning was evaluation of specific value for the working situation. There was no difference in risk of error between groups after the course (p=0.77).

conclusionsThe study showed no differences in learning outcome or risk of error between e-learning and classroom teaching in drug dose calculations. The overall learning outcome was small. Weak precourse knowledge was associated with better outcome after classroom teaching.

Indexed as

Drug Dosage CalculationsQuality ImprovementAdultComputer-Assisted InstructionEducation, NursingFemaleHumansMaleMedication ErrorsMiddle AgedHEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATION & MANAGEMENTMEDICAL EDUCATION & TRAINING

Identifiers

PMID25344483
PMCPMC4212177

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.