Elaine S Colen1, Limone C. Collins
1, Linda Huebert
2, Sandra L Schneider
1, Renata J. M. Engler
3, Michael R. Nelson
4, Bryan L. Martin
5, Joyce Hersey
6, and Mary Alice Willis
7. (1) Walter Reed Vaccine Healthcare Center, 6900 Georgia Avenue, NW, Washington, DC, USA, (2) Walter Reed Regional Vaccine Healthcare Center, P.O. Box 59605, Washington, DC, USA, (3) Walter Reed National Vaccine Healthcare Center, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, 6900 Georgia Avenue, NW, Washington, DC, USA, (4) Walter Reed Vaccine Healthcare Center, US government, 6900 Georgia Ave, NW, Washington, DC, USA, (5) Walter Reed Regional Vaccine Healthcare Center, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, 6900 Georgia Avenue, NW, Washington, DC, USA, (6) Walter Reed Army Medical Center, 6900 Georgia Avenue, NW, Washington, DC, USA, (7) Healthsoft Inc, 620 East Livingston Street, Orlando, FL, USA
BACKGROUND:
With rapid personnel turnover and limited vaccine education in traditional medical and nursing education, the Vaccine Healthcare Centers Network (VHC) identified a need for standardized, comprehensive, up-to-date vaccine education available worldwide for Department of Defense (DoD) employees. JACHO guidelines also require competency training documentation for personnel providing skilled medical services. With increasing public concern regarding the numbers of vaccines, the complexity of administration schedules, and possible risks related to adverse events, improved personnel education is a critical component of effective and safe vaccination programs.
OBJECTIVE:
Develop Web-distributed vaccine courseware that includes pretests for objective assessment of baseline knowledge, effective interactive learning modules with links to multiple resources, and valid and reliable posttests.
METHOD:
A curriculum consensus committee identified eighteen vaccine and vaccine-related topics for inclusion as modules in the courseware. HealthSoft (a Web-based education development company) was contracted to write and develop the modules, which were reviewed and approved by multidisciplinary vaccine experts to ensure accurate and up-to-date content. The modules were posted on the VHC’s website (www.vhcinfo.org) for use by DoD vaccine administration personnel. Each user completed a pretest, an interactive module, and a posttest in sequence. Individual user and aggregate scores were databased. Learning gain indices for each module were calculated based on average mean pretest/posttest scores.
RESULT:
Module learning gain indices were notable, ranging from 0.82 (Advanced Hepatitis B module) to 0.96 (Smallpox module).
CONCLUSION:
The Web-distributed vaccine training courseware, Project Immune Readiness, met the VHC’s objectives. Gain indices indicate that, as a group, personnel who completed the courseware significantly increased their vaccine knowledge as evidenced by notable improvement between pretest and posttest scores.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
1. describe the need for standardized, comprehensive, up-to-date Web-based vaccine education.
2. describe the process used for education development, distribution, and testing.
3. describe pretest to posttest learning gains from use of the education.
Web Page:
vhcinfo.org/