Comparing telesimulation-based learning and e-learning as remote education delivery methods in pre-hospital practice

Pre-hospital practitioners based at rural and geographically spread-out regions often find it difficult to access education and training for continuous professional development. Distance learning can resolve the dilemma of how to provide high-quality education where the number of participants is small and widely scattered. E-learning is an established teaching modality that has been widely used, whereas telesimulation is a novel teaching tool that has been evolving throughout the past decade. This study aimed to evaluate the experience of e-learning compared to telesimulation for pre-hospital practitioners.

This study was conducted from January to June 2021. Twenty-six pre-hospital responders were randomly allocated to complete either an e-learning module or a telesimulation session based on acute paediatric asthma. Each participant completed a post-session satisfaction questionnaire for quantitative and qualitative analysis. For the telesimulation session, all participants attended remotely, while the faculty were based on site. The e-learning module was accessed by the participants via the internet.

Both modalities were positively received, with participants agreeing that the learning objectives were met. However, telesimulation was rated significantly higher in terms of engagement (p = 0.044) and suitability (p = 0.033). Qualitative feedback highlighted the immersive and realistic nature of telesimulation as key advantages, while e-learning was appreciated for its flow and stimulating questions.

Telesimulation and e-learning can help learners with restricted availability and geographical challenges. Telesimulation allows learners to work as a multi-disciplinary team despite being scattered across a large geographical area, while e-learning gives learners the flexibility to access education at a convenient time.