Podcasting as a learning tool to support pharmacology education for nurse prescribers

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Podcasting as a learning tool to support
pharmacology education for nurse prescribers

• Joanne Lymn, Dianne Bowskill,
• Oonagh Meade

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Non-Medical Prescribing (NMP)

• Following qualification nurses have similar
  prescribing rights to doctors.
• Understanding of pharmacological concepts hugely
  important for patient safety
• 56 hours of pharmacology
• Approximately 50 of NMP
• students have no more than a GCSE
• in a biological science
• (Lymn, Bath-Hextall Wharrad 2008).

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Pharmacological Understanding among NMP students

• NMP students often express anxiety about the
  subject of pharmacology during their NMP course.
• Students often admit that learning
  pharmacological concepts is like learning a new
  language.
• Extra tutorial support is often necessary in this
  subject.

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Why podcasts?

• Learning a foreign language important to be
  able to listen listen again
• NMP course is WebCT based links can be added
  into WebCT.
• Mobile learning - audio
• content can be downloaded to
• MP3s, iPODs etc and listened
• to on the move.

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Methodology

• 7 key pharmacology lectures were recorded using
  MP3 recording equipment available within the
  university.
• Recordings were edited using Audacity whole
  lectures and short sections.
• Links to individual podcasts, and the associated
  downloadable MP3 files were added to the NMP
  WebCT site.
• Lecture slides also available on WebCT
• Student use of podcasts monitored WebCT tracking

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Methodology 2

• Postal questionnaire sent to two cohorts of
  students who had access to podcasts (n43)
• Comparison of exam scores from cohorts with
  access to podcasts (n64) with historical cohorts
  (no access to podcasts, n70)
• Semi-structured interviews conducted with small
  number of high, medium and low users

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Demographics
lt 30
gt 50
30 - 39
40 - 49
Age of NMP students (years)
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Computer Access

• 100 students had access to a computer
• 42 rated their comfort levels with internet
  technology as good or very good
• 63 had access to an iPod or MP3 player

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Student Use of the Podcasts

• Web CT tracking results
• 83 of students accessed at least one podcast.
• Links to the podcasts were clicked 376 times
  which a range of 0 to 48 clicks per student.

Directly through WebCT 81
As an MP3 for download to MP3 player / iPod 7
Combination of methods 10
Other methods 2
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Student Use of the Podcasts

• Reasons why students used the podcasts

Revisiting lecture 88
Revision 77
Specific question 59
Missed session 18
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Use of podcasts for a specific question

• 93 of students who used the podcasts for a
  specific question found the answer.
• 56 rated it easy or very easy to find the answer
• 23 of students generally listened to selected
  parts of the podcast
• (77 of students generally listened to the
  entire podcast)

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Student perception of the usefulness of podcasts
Usefulness as a learning tool
Usefulness as a revision aid
Usefulness in promoting understanding
80
90
70
80
70
60
70
60
50
60
50
40
50
Student responders ()
Student responders ()
Student responders ()
40
40
30
30
30
20
20
20
10
10
10
0
0
0
unhelpful
very unhelpful
helpful
neither
Very helpful
unhelpful
very unhelpful
helpful
neither
Very helpful
unhelpful
very unhelpful
helpful
neither
Very helpful
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Student knowledge measured by exam score
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Student feedback on pharmacology podcasts.

• Qualitative Feedback
• An excellent learning tool to reinforce my
  understanding of the basics of dynamics, kinetics
  ANS. I would not have understood these subjects
  without revisiting the lecture time again
• I used it as a repetitive tool to familiarise
  myself with terminology I hadnt heard before
  to promote my comfort to then go on and digest
  the subject.
• Podcasts were a great way to learn and revisit!
  Excellent learning tool!! Thank you.
• Absolutely brilliant as an assistant to course
  content.

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Interview Data
Podcast use
Facilitators of Use Barriers to use
Family support Lack of awareness of technology
I.T. assistance Lack of access to technology
Ease of access Difficulties downloading to MP3
Needing assistance with technology
Time restraints
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Impact on learning

• Enhanced control
• Learning at own pace, gauging study needs using
  podcasts, portability increasing learning
  opportunities
• Adding value to course materials
• Complementary learning tool
• Building Understanding
• Aiding understanding of a complex subject,
  explanation of slides helpful (aural learning),
  repetition reinforcing learning, lost information
  recovered.

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Disadvantages of podcasts.

• Time consuming to edit initially
• Managing students unrealistic expectations
• Encourage dependency and rote learning rather
  than developing understanding

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Conclusions

• Students make use of podcasts
• Students feel podcasts support their learning
• Exam results suggest podcasts may improve
  knowledge understanding
• Podcast all pharmacology lectures
• One of a number of important learning tools.

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Thank you

• Dianne Bowskill
• Oonagh Meade
• Fred Riley
• Non-medical prescribing students

Funded by University of Nottingham, Learning
teaching development fund