Do Scores on Three Commonly Used Measures of Critical Thinking Correlate With Academic Success of Health Professions Trainees? A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

BACKGROUND Virtual reality (VR) is a technology that allows the user to explore and manipulate computer-generated real or artificial three-dimensional multimedia sensory environments in real time to gain practical knowledge that can be used in clinical practice. OBJECTIVE The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the effectiveness of VR for educating health professionals and improving their knowledge, cognitive skills, attitudes, and satisfaction. METHODS We performed a systematic review of the effectiveness of VR in pre- and postregistration health professions education following the gold standard Cochrane methodology. We searched 7 databases from the year 1990 to August 2017. No language restrictions were applied. We included randomized controlled trials and cluster-randomized trials. We independently selected studies, extracted data, and assessed risk of bias, and then, we compared the information in pairs. We contacted authors of the studies for additional information if necessary. All pooled analyses were based on random-effects models. We used the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) approach to rate the quality of the body of evidence. RESULTS A total of 31 studies (2407 participants) were included. Meta-analysis of 8 studies found that VR slightly improves postintervention knowledge scores when compared with traditional learning (standardized mean difference [SMD]=0.44; 95% CI 0.18-0.69; I2=49%; 603 participants; moderate certainty evidence) or other types of digital education such as online or offline digital education (SMD=0.43; 95% CI 0.07-0.79; I2=78%; 608 participants [8 studies]; low certainty evidence). Another meta-analysis of 4 studies found that VR improves health professionals’ cognitive skills when compared with traditional learning (SMD=1.12; 95% CI 0.81-1.43; I2=0%; 235 participants; large effect size; moderate certainty evidence). Two studies compared the effect of VR with other forms of digital education on skills, favoring the VR group (SMD=0.5; 95% CI 0.32-0.69; I2=0%; 467 participants; moderate effect size; low certainty evidence). The findings for attitudes and satisfaction were mixed and inconclusive. None of the studies reported any patient-related outcomes, behavior change, as well as unintended or adverse effects of VR. Overall, the certainty of evidence according to the GRADE criteria ranged from low to moderate. We downgraded our certainty of evidence primarily because of the risk of bias and/or inconsistency. CONCLUSIONS We found evidence suggesting that VR improves postintervention knowledge and skills outcomes of health professionals when compared with traditional education or other types of digital education such as online or offline digital education. The findings on other outcomes are limited. Future research should evaluate the effectiveness of immersive and interactive forms of VR and evaluate other outcomes such as attitude, satisfaction, cost-effectiveness, and clinical practice or behavior change.

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Offline Digital Education for Postregistration Health Professions: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis by the Digital Health Education Collaboration (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.12968 ◽

2018 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Pawel Posadzki ◽

Malgorzata M Bala ◽

Bhone Myint Kyaw ◽

Monika Semwal ◽

Ushashree Divakar ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Systematic Review ◽

Digital Health ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Health Professions ◽

Computer Assisted ◽

Unintended Effects ◽

Digital Education ◽

Mental Health Therapists ◽

Traditional Training

BACKGROUND The shortage and disproportionate distribution of health care workers worldwide is further aggravated by the inadequacy of training programs, difficulties in implementing conventional curricula, deficiencies in learning infrastructure, or a lack of essential equipment. Offline digital education has the potential to improve the quality of health professions education. OBJECTIVE The primary objective of this systematic review was to evaluate the effectiveness of offline digital education compared with various controls in improving learners’ knowledge, skills, attitudes, satisfaction, and patient-related outcomes. The secondary objectives were (1) to assess the cost-effectiveness of the interventions and (2) to assess adverse effects of the interventions on patients and learners. METHODS We searched 7 electronic databases and 2 trial registries for randomized controlled trials published between January 1990 and August 2017. We used Cochrane systematic review methods. RESULTS A total of 27 trials involving 4618 individuals were included in this systematic review. Meta-analyses found that compared with no intervention, offline digital education (CD-ROM) may increase knowledge in nurses (standardized mean difference [SMD]=1.88; 95% CI 1.14 to 2.62; participants=300; studies=3; I2=80%; low certainty evidence). A meta-analysis of 2 studies found that compared with no intervention, the effects of offline digital education (computer-assisted training [CAT]) on nurses and physical therapists’ knowledge were uncertain (SMD 0.55; 95% CI –0.39 to 1.50; participants=64; I2=71%; very low certainty evidence). A meta-analysis of 2 studies found that compared with traditional learning, a PowerPoint presentation may improve the knowledge of patient care personnel and pharmacists (SMD 0.76; 95% CI 0.29 to 1.23; participants=167; I2=54%; low certainty evidence). A meta-analysis of 4 studies found that compared with traditional training, the effects of computer-assisted training on skills in community (mental health) therapists, nurses, and pharmacists were uncertain (SMD 0.45; 95% CI –0.35 to 1.25; participants=229; I2=88%; very low certainty evidence). A meta-analysis of 4 studies found that compared with traditional training, offline digital education may have little effect or no difference on satisfaction scores in nurses and mental health therapists (SMD –0.07; 95% CI –0.42 to 0.28, participants=232; I2=41%; low certainty evidence). A total of 2 studies found that offline digital education may have little or no effect on patient-centered outcomes when compared with blended learning. For skills and attitudes, the results were mixed and inconclusive. None of the studies reported adverse or unintended effects of the interventions. Only 1 study reported costs of interventions. The risk of bias was predominantly unclear and the certainty of the evidence ranged from low to very low. CONCLUSIONS There is some evidence to support the effectiveness of offline digital education in improving learners’ knowledge and insufficient quality and quantity evidence for the other outcomes. Future high-quality studies are needed to increase generalizability and inform use of this modality of education.

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A Protocol for a Systematic Review of the Effectiveness of Interprofessional Education Interventions in Pre-Licensure Health Professions Education

10.21203/rs.3.rs-177760/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Mohammad Azzam ◽

Anton Puvirajah

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Interprofessional Education ◽

Current Knowledge ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Cochrane Collaboration ◽

Health Professions ◽

Negative Effects ◽

The Past ◽

Implementation Studies ◽

The Cochrane Collaboration

Abstract Background: A growing body of research demonstrates that interprofessional education (IPE) has the potential to lead to successful interprofessional collaborative practice (IPCP). In turn, IPCP has potential to mitigate the negative effects associated with an underfunded and shrinking healthcare workforce and population growth. Nonetheless, over the past decade, there has been a lack of systematic reviews that have examined the effectiveness of IPE in preparing pre-licensure health professions students for IPCP. The purpose of this paper is to provide a protocol for a systematic review that will explore and identify (1) whether IPE interventions in the past decade have addressed the shortcomings of past interventions, (2) the effectiveness of recent IPE in preparing students for IPCP, and (3) current knowledge gaps within the field. Methods: We used the Cochrane Collaboration and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P) guidelines to articulate this protocol. Furthermore, we used the Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcomes, and Study Design (PICOS) framework to formulate our research questions, “What are the major trends and findings of IPE implementation studies conducted over the last decade (2010–2020)?” and “How do the trends and findings of IPE studies conducted over the last decade compare with IPE studies in the decade prior?” Discussion: The systematic review is ongoing. We expect to complete it by September 2021. This systematic review will provide a useful synthesis of best practices in the implementation of IPE between 2010 and 2020 as well as their effectiveness in preparing health professions students for IPCP. Systematic review registration: We submitted this protocol with PROSPERO on January 19th, 2021.

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The Effectiveness of Blended Learning in Health Professions: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Journal of Medical Internet Research ◽

10.2196/jmir.4807 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

pp. e2 ◽

Cited By ~ 142

Author(s):

Qian Liu ◽

Weijun Peng ◽

Fan Zhang ◽

Rong Hu ◽

Yingxue Li ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Blended Learning ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Health Professions

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A Systematic Review: Using Habits of Mind to Improve Student’s thinking in Class

Higher Education Studies ◽

10.5539/hes.v8n1p25 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

pp. 25 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Suad Alhamlan ◽

Haya Aljasser ◽

Asma Almajed ◽

Haila Almansour ◽

Nidhal Alahmad

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Critical Thinking ◽

Instructional Leadership ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Thinking Skills ◽

Comprehensive Analysis ◽

Review Article ◽

Critical Thinking Skills ◽

Habits Of Mind ◽

Study Results

This review article aims to explore how habits of mind as the concept defined under the recent Framework for Success in Postsecondary Writing contributes to the development of critical thinking in the classroom. The application of a systematic review and a meta-analysis approach allows investigating the selected habits of mind and comparing them to the externally verified critical thinking skills using a multiple regression with a variation methodology. Study results suggest that the available literature does not provide a comprehensive analysis of the problem due to the variations in explanatory values of the variables selected; though, it justifies the instructional leadership approach that should be fulfilled by the educators striving to deploy the Framework in their educational environment. The review suggests using a fieldwork approach as the next step of the mentioned Framework evaluation.

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Sleep Disturbances Rate among Medical and Allied Health Professions Students in Iran: Implications from a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Literature

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph17031011 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (3) ◽

pp. 1011 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Mojtaba Khaksarian ◽

Masoud Behzadifar ◽

Meysam Behzadifar ◽

Firuzeh Jahanpanah ◽

Ottavia Guglielmi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Sleep Quality ◽

Sleep Disturbances ◽

Allied Health ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Health Professions ◽

Poor Sleep ◽

Allied Health Professions ◽

Healthcare Professions ◽

Medical And Healthcare

Medicine and healthcare professions are prestigious and valued careers and, at the same time, demanding, challenging, and arduous jobs. Medical and allied health professions students, experiencing a stressful academic and clinical workload, may suffer from sleep disturbances. In Iran, several studies have been conducted to explore the prevalence rate among medical and healthcare professions students. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to quantitatively and rigorously summarize the existing scholarly literature, providing the decision- and policy-makers and educators with an updated, evidence-based synthesis. Only studies utilizing a reliable psychometric instrument, such as the Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI), were included, in order to have comparable measurements and estimates. Seventeen investigations were retained in the present systematic review and meta-analysis, totaling a sample of 3586 students. Studies were conducted between 2008 and 2018 and reported an overall rate of sleep disturbances of 58% (95% confidence interval or CI 45–70). No evidence of publication bias could be found, but formal analyses on determinants of sleep disturbances could not be run due to the dearth of information that could be extracted from studies. Poor sleep is highly prevalent among Iranian medical and healthcare professions students. Based on the limitations of the present study, high-quality investigations are urgently needed to better capture the determinants of poor sleep quality among medical and healthcare professions students, given the importance and the implications of such a topic.

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