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Updated: May 14, 2026

Investigation into Deep Breathing through Measurement of Ventilatory Parameters and Observation of Breathing Patterns
Published on: September 16, 2019
Improving assessment of paediatric acute breathing difficulties in medical education: a cluster randomized controlled
Logan Manikam1, Nicholas Blackwell, Jaydip Banerjee
1Medical and Social Care Education, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK. logan.manikam@doctors.org.uk
Aim:
Impact assessment of an adjunct to standard teaching on knowledge gain and self-assessed confidence for students undertaking their paediatric attachment and evaluation of an acute breathing difficulties (ABDs) learning package.
Methods:
Pragmatic cluster randomized controlled trial involving 248 UK medical undergraduates within six paediatric clinical rotations. Intervention groups received an online ABD learning package consisting of symptom-based decision-making pathways underpinned by a ratified ABD evidence-based guideline. Control groups received an online dummy package. Outcome measures were a pre- and post-intervention multiple choice question assessment and confidence questionnaire utilising 5-point Likert scales.
Results:
Significant knowledge gain in the intervention group (mean 6.84, 95% CI 5.56-8.12) versus no such difference in the control group, significant improvement in self-assessed confidence in intervention group versus no such difference in control group and significant confidence differences in ABD-specific statements were noted. In the satisfaction questionnaire, the learning content was noted to be new to only 16% participants.
Conclusion:
Supplementation of standard teaching with an interactive delivery method resulted in cognitive gain and self-assessed confidence improvement in interaction with children with ABDs. This indicates that a well-designed tool can help prepare students for direct interaction with sick children as a junior clinician.
Trial Registration:
ISRCTN27499282.
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