Project title (UKCRN: 11696 )
Assessing effectiveness of an e-learning tool to aid junior doctor management of febrile
children
External Site Protocol
• Project summary
This study will examine a variety of methods to assess the effectiveness of an online
learning module to aid junior doctors managing young children with a fever. The aim is to
define which methods provide the most useful information in deciding whether the online
learning module has been useful and how best to improve the module in the future. The
principles learnt in this work can then be subsequently applied to other medical specialties
and health care professionals.
The full project proposal contains information on the larger research study as part of an
NIHR Doctoral Research Fellowship, “Refining evaluation methodologies for interventions
that change practice: A model to assess the effectiveness of an e-learning tool”
This protocol, for us at the external sites, relates specifically to Stage Three (Training
Intervention and measurement of effectiveness) of the full proposal
• Project description:
− Rationale
E-learning resources are often produced in order to aid education of health care
professionals outside of the work place. The utilisation of those resources and the effect they
have on knowledge and behaviour is often poorly performed. The cost of delivering elearning packages and other practice changing interventions must be justified in terms of
both the human resource and patient benefit they provide.
− Objectives
To assess the utilisation of a bespoke learning package regarding management of the
feverish child and correlate this was attitudinal change and knowledge gain.
− Methodology
An NICE guideline compliant e-learning package has been produced, and previously piloted,
which contains a specific pre- and post-learning component. The patient video clips used in
the learning package are consented for health care professional use only so in order to
access the website all users must be granted access.
Junior Doctors meeting inclusion criteria will be consented by an appropriately trained
member of the local research team after having been shown the participant information
leaflet. There is no minimum fixed time between reading the information leaflet and gaining
consent. Following consent the junior doctor will provide a preferred e-mail address which
will be sent by the local principal investigator (PI) to the Chief Investigator. When this e-mail
address is loaded onto the website the junior doctor will be able to access the website
remotely. No further intervention or involvement of the local team is needed.
The website is http://remit.pemla.org
The local PI will be granted an admin access to the site so they will be able to monitor their
local junior doctors progress through the site.
Inclusion Criteria:
Junior Doctor ST2 or below
Exclusion Criteria:
Junior Doctors who hold MRCPH
− Data management and analysis
Data is stored on a remote and secure server in a format only accessible by the Principal
Investigator.
Pre and post learning tests take place around the e-learning intervention and analysis will
focus on
i) Change in attitude in managing feverish children (via questionnaire)
ii) Change in performance (via knowledge test)
The full set of questions is available if required.
• Ethical considerations
The participant information leaflet informs the junior doctors
“Any evidence of unprofessional behavior would have to be notified to the
relevant supervisor in keeping with the General Medical Councils Good Practice
guidelines.”
An example could be extremely variation from normal practice but the pilot study
identified no cases of this occurring
Dr. Damian Roland
Chief Investigator REMIT Study
1st August 2012