e-Learning in Advanced Life Support-What factors influence assessment outcome?

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Resuscitation Science

Background:

• The Advanced Life Support (ALS) course is crucial for healthcare professionals.
• Optimizing learning and assessment outcomes in ALS courses is essential for effective resuscitation.
• A blended learning approach, incorporating e-learning and face-to-face instruction, is increasingly utilized.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify factors associated with successful outcomes in the Advanced Life Support (ALS) course.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of e-learning components in the ALS course.
• To maximize the learning effect and assessment results for participants.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of data from 8218 participants in a Resuscitation Council (UK) e-learning ALS (e-ALS) course (2013-2014).
• Participants completed online e-learning followed by a one-day face-to-face course.
• Assessment included pre- and post-course multiple-choice questionnaires (MCQ) and a cardiac arrest simulation test (CAS-Test).

Main Results:

• Mean post-course MCQ score was 87.7%.
• First attempt pass rate for the CAS-Test was 84.6%, with an overall pass rate of 96.6%.
• Previous ALS/ILS experience and core resuscitation team membership predicted better performance; increased e-learning time did not significantly affect outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Clinical experience and prior resuscitation training are key predictors of ALS course success.
• The time spent on e-learning modules did not correlate with improved assessment outcomes.
• The blended e-ALS approach allows for personalized learning, accommodating individual needs and prior experience.