Protocol for Evaluation of eLearning of Quality Improvement Methods

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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This study evaluates the use of eLearning of quality improvement methods. Participants who use eLearning only, facilitated learning only and a combination of eLearning and facilitated learning will complete questionnaires and be interviewed to establish the effect of eLearning of quality improvement methods to improve knowledge, change in behaviour and impact on healthcare services for better patient care.

Detailed Description
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Quality improvement (QI) is an increasingly important element of delivering health care. Learning and feeling confident in using QI methods is an essential part of healthcare practice. eLearning is a cost effective way of capacity building to a large cohort of health care professionals and service users. National Institute of Health Research Collaboration for Leadership in Health Research and Care Northwest London has developed a suite of eLearning modules (QI4U) to support an introductory understanding of technical aspects of QI. This protocol describes a trial to evaluate the experience of learning, knowledge gained, change in behaviour, and impact of eLearning of QI methods. Participants will belong to one of three Groups of learners over the course of 12 months: learners using only QI4U (group 1); people using only facilitated learning (Group 2); and learners using a combination of QI4U and facilitated learning (Group 3). The Kirkpatrick model will be used to evaluate the learning. The primary outcome of interest will be transfer of knowledge gained from learning into clinical practice for service improvement by individuals (level 3). Secondary outcomes will include reaction or experience of QI4U, knowledge gained, and the results or impact of learning through QI4U on service improvement (levels 1, 2 and 4). Transfer of knowledge into clinical practice will be assessed by interviews with individual learners. Experience of eLearning and knowledge gained will be assessed using feedback forms, questionnaires, time spent doing QI4U and reflective logs. Impact will be assessed by interviews with organisational leads with a high prevalence of QI4U learners. This study will provide evidence on the effectiveness of using eLearning as a means for learning QI. It will serve to evaluate learners' experience of using eLearning and the impact of various training methods within the context of learning QI.

Official Title
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Evaluation of eLearning of Quality Improvement Methods

Conditions
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Learning, Quality Improvement, eLearning

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: QI4U learning
* Other: Facilitated learning
* Other: QI4U and Facilitated learning


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: clinicians, managers, commissioners, service users and carers, and researchers who have an interest in learning QI methods. Exclusion Criteria: No exclusion criteria

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Health Services Research
Allocation: Non-Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: QI4U Group<br>Group 1 - Learners who will learn QI methods using eLearning through QI4U | Other: QI4U learning<br>* Learners will have access to 8 QI methods modules on QI4U<br>|
| Active Comparator: Facilitated Learning Group<br>Group 2 - Learners who will learn QI methods by facilitated teaching | Other: Facilitated learning<br>* Learners will have access to quarterly learning events and bespoke training on QI methods through facilitated peer-to-peer learning workshops<br>|
| Active Comparator: QI4U and Facilitated Learning Group<br>Group 3 - Learners who will learn QI methods using a combination of QI4U and facilitated teaching | Other: QI4U and Facilitated learning<br>* Learners will have access to the 8 QI modules on QI4U and attend quarterly learning events and bespoke training on QI methods through peer-to-peer learning workshops<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Transfer of knowledge of QI method into clinical practice | Change in behaviour that is a result of learning of QI methods into service improvement projects | 6-8 months | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Experience of learning measured using eLearning systems success construct questionnaire | The investigators will use the eLearning systems success construct questionnaire. This is a 36 item survey questionnaire that includes system quality, user satisfaction, net benefits and information quality. Survey items will be rated using a seven-point Likert scale indicating the degree to which respondents agree or disagree. | Immediately after learning. | 
| Knowledge gained measured through the knowledge of QI methods questionnaire | Knowledge of QI methods will be assessed through a question bank of multiple choice questions, the order of the questions are presented in random and learners' knowledge is scored as a percentage of correct answers. | pre learning, immediately after learning and 6-8 months after learning. | 
| Impact of QI4U learning | Impact of QI4U on QI through interviews with executives from trusts that have large cohorts of learners using QI4U | 6-8 months | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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eLearning, Quality Improvement Methods, Knowledge Transfer, Impact of learning