Usability and Efficacy of Neurologic Digital Case Studies to Promote Clinical Decision-Making Skills Among Physical...

Clinical decision-making (CDM) is essential to professional competency but remains a difficult concept to teach and learn. The purpose of this study was to assess usability and efficacy of digital case studies for development of CDM skills within the neurologic physical therapy curriculum.

A two-part pilot study was designed to: 1) examine the usability and perceived efficacy of digital case studies; and 2) examine the efficacy of case studies upon student CDM skill development. Twenty-one students participated in the initial pilot study and were given a 5-question survey and open-response questions that were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. The second phase of the study consisted of two groups (n=48): one completed digital case studies, and another completed paper cases. Both groups completed pre- and post-tests, and data were analyzed using independent sample t-test for comparing mean difference.

Students reported digital case studies as user-friendly, but there was no statistically significant difference found in CDM between groups.

While the use of digital case studies generated student satisfaction, they do not appear to eclipse low-tech options in terms of efficacy. Various pedagogies can yield similar results, and thus faculty resources should be considered when developing educational methodologies.