Testing the satisfaction and feasibility of a computer-based teaching module in the neonatal intensive care unit

To examine the satisfaction with and feasibility of a computer-based teaching module to teach healthcare professionals how to use and apply the Premature Infant Pain Profile (PIPP) to clinical scenarios.

Sixty-eight healthcare professionals who were employed in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) on a full-time or part-time basis and had received an educational session regarding the PIPP.

A pilot study using an exploratory descriptive design was used to answer: (1) How satisfied are healthcare professionals with the computer-based teaching module? and (2) What is the feasibility of a computer-based teaching module in the clinical setting? Satisfaction was measured using an investigator-developed 5-point Likert scale. Feasibility was measured in terms of time to complete the module, satisfaction with instructions and ability to navigate through the module, acceptability of the module as a teaching method, and format with the computer-based module.

Ninety percent of those sampled were very satisfied with the computer-based teaching method. Use of video and audio clips and photographs enhanced the learning process. Healthcare professionals identified the computer-based teaching method as an effective way of learning about the PIPP and thought that it was feasible to use within the clinical setting.

Computer-based teaching is a feasible method for educating NICU healthcare professionals about the PIPP. Additional research is required to examine the effectiveness of this teaching method on relevant patient outcomes such as pain management.