Clinical trial NCT03666468: The Gaming for Medical Education Research (G4MER) Program
Official title: Gaming for Medical Education Research Program: An Investigator-blinded, Randomised Controlled Trial on Serious Games for Doctors, Nurses and Students.
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: UNKNOWN
Phase: NA
Conditions: Education, Medical
Lead sponsor: The University of New South Wales
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2018-09-11
Enrollment: 264
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 20
Maximum age (years): 99
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Intervention model description: 3 groups
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: The "G4MER" Program aims to investigate whether serious games add value to medical education in comparison to an online learning package or clinical practice guidelines. The investigators will perform a series of investigator-blinded randomised control trials on doctors, nurses, and medical students at Sydney Children's Hospital. Participants will be given access to their randomly allocated intervention for 8 weeks or 5 days, and will be assessed using multiple choice questions (MCQ) and two observed structure clinical examination (OSCE) stations. Participant attitudes will also be assessed through a mixed-methods questionnaire.

Detailed description: The "G4MER" Program aims to perform a series of randomised control trials on different groups at Sydney Children's Hospital:

1. Study 1A (Formerly titled "Serious Games in Medical Education - a Randomised Control Trial") is already underway and involves Phase 3 medical students at UNSW having 8 weeks access to the game, an Online Package (OP) or NSW State Guidelines on Asthma and Seizure management. Students are then assessed using multiple choice questions (MCQ) and two observed structure clinical examination (OSCE) stations (detailed below).
2. Study 1B is also a randomised control trial similar in design to Study 1A, however it will involve doctors and nurses employed at Sydney Children's Hospital. PlayMed will be compared against the HETI Learning Path Paediatric Clinical Practice Guidelines (Online Package for staff).
3. Studies 2A and 2B are identical to Studies 1A and 1B respectively except participants will have 2 hours access to their educational tool. Participants will then immediately undergo the same assessment using multiple choice questions (MCQ) and two observed structure clinical examination (OSCE) stations The proposed study designs are all blinded randomised control trials. Participants may only be involved in Study 1 or Study 2, not both.

Administration

Studies 1A and 1B Participants allocated to the game and to the OP will be given the appropriate access for 8 weeks (instructions provided in the study envelope). Participants allocated to the guidelines will receive a print-out of the guidelines. Participants will be encouraged to engage with their additional educational tool as often as they wish during their eight weeks. In the 8th last week participants will have their knowledge and clinical performance assessed as outlined below.

Studies 2A and 2B Participants allocated to the game, OP and guidelines will be given 2 hours to utilise their assigned teaching tool. Two hours was selected as an appropriate time-frame in which participants would be able complete all cases of the game or online package, or read through the guidelines. Furthermore, it was chosen as it is more pragmatic and better at assessing short-term retention. Computers will be provided for participants to access the game and OP. The guidelines will be printed for participants to read. Participants will then immediately have their knowledge and clinical performance assess as outlined below.

Assessment

Studies 1A, 1B, 2A and 2B Participants will be assessed for knowledge acquisition and clinical performance. Participant knowledge will be assessed using 10 multiple choice questions (MCQ). Participant clinical skills will be assessed via an observed structured clinical examination (OSCE) administered in the simulation laboratory (immediately after the knowledge test); participants will be tested across two clinical scenarios. Strict marking criteria will be used to ensure standardisation.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Studies 1A and 2A Phase 2 or 3 medical students at UNSW who are enrolled in the Children's Health Course will be eligible
* Studies 1B and 2B Doctors and nurses employed at Sydney Children's Hospital.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Studies 1A and 2A Medical students not actively enrolled at UNSW
* Studies 1B and 2B Doctors and nurses not actively employed at Sydney Children's Hospital.

Primary outcomes:
measure: Multiple choice quiz score
timeFrame: Post-intervention assessment; 8 weeks (Study 1A and 1B) or 2 hours (Study 2A and 2B).
measure: Asthma observed structured clinical examination (OSCE) score
timeFrame: Post-intervention assessment; 8 weeks (Study 1A and 1B) or 2 hours (Study 2A and 2B).
measure: Seizure observed structured clinical examination (OSCE) scoresimulation lab)
timeFrame: Post-intervention assessment; 8 weeks (Study 1A and 1B) or 2 hours (Study 2A and 2B).
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Participant attitudes towards educational intervention
timeFrame: Post-intervention assessment; 8 weeks (Study 1A and 1B) or 2 hours (Study 2A and 2B).
measure: Time to specific actions in OSCE scenarios
timeFrame: Post-intervention assessment; 8 weeks (Study 1A and 1B) or 2 hours (Study 2A and 2B).
measure: Anti-epileptic medication(s) administered at correct time during OSCE scenario
timeFrame: Post-intervention assessment; 8 weeks (Study 1A and 1B) or 2 hours (Study 2A and 2B).
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Randwick
country: Australia
facility: Sydney Children's Hospital
state: New South Wales
Study officials:
affiliation: The University of New South Wales
name: Michael J Coffey, BMed MD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: