Evaluating a Telehealth Simulation for APRN students
Heather Jones DNP, Beth Ammerman DNP, Kevin Joiner PhD, Deborah Lee PhD, April Bigelow PhD, Elizabeth Kuzma DNP
BACKGROUND & SIGNIFICANCE The broad expansion of telehealth as a care delivery model dramatically increased since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. As health care delivery changes, providers must learn to use telehealth technology safely, effectively, and confidently. Nurse educators need to prepare APRN students to meet the challenge of managing this important mode of care delivery.
PURPOSE
METHODS/DESIGN
• A single group comparison study was conducted. • Participants were recruited from among APRN students of an Advanced
Health Assessment course. • An intervention that included telehealth didactic content and a telehealth
simulation was performed. • The design of this study entailed: o A pre and post-test survey about their beliefs of the value of
telehealth and their confidence in performing telehealth as a method of care delivery.
o A required multimodal telehealth instruction between the pre and post test surveys.
o A formative graded assignment where faculty evaluated a telehealth simulation involving application of the learned concepts with Standardized Patients.
• Data was used from the surveys to evaluate a simulated telehealth SP experience.
• Domains of beliefs and confidence regarding telehealth were described using univariate statistics.
• Wilcoxon signed rank sum test was used to explore the difference between individual item and summary scores pre- and post- simulated telehealth standardized patient experience.
RESULTS
• Several areas were without any significant change in students’ beliefs regarding telehealth
o all of these areas were rated high pre-intervention • Several areas showed significant positive change (all with p<0.0001) in
student outcomes post-intervention including: o overall confidence related to providing telehealth o understanding the rules and regulations for providing telehealth o understanding how to document the necessity of telehealth services o feeling prepared to provide telehealth service o feeling comfortable providing telehealth services
CONCLUSION/LESSIONS LEARNED
FUTURE APPLICATIONS and NEXT STEPS
This innovative telehealth simulation and didactic content for APRN students provided the opportunity to demonstrate use of telehealth equipment and develop telehealth competencies. Simulation is one strategy available to expose students to telehealth and improve telehealth skills. With adequate formal education and training in telehealth APRN students will be well-positioned to provide telehealth care services for patients in their future practice settings, further expanding access to care.
Integration of telehealth into the nursing curriculum is essential to instill confidence as health care technology advances. Since most students did not feel comfortable prior to the multimodal telehealth instruction but felt very comfortable after the instruction and demonstrating a simulated telehealth SP experience, we feel this intervention was very effective. We felt it affirmed the need to use this learning tool in the upcoming advanced health assessment courses to instill confidence in performing telehealth.
Explore students’ beliefs about the value of telehealth and confidence performing telehealth
HYPOTHESIS With adequate formal educational and training in telehealth, APRN students will be well positioned to provide high quality telehealth care.