Effectiveness of an edutainment video teaching standard precautions – a randomized controlled evaluation study

Aline Wolfensberger†Email author View ORCID ID profile,
Alexia Anagnostopoulos†,
Lauren Clack,
Marie-Theres Meier,
Stefan P. Kuster and
Hugo Sax

†Contributed equally

Antimicrobial Resistance & Infection Control20198:82

https://doi.org/10.1186/s13756-019-0531-5

Received: 25 February 2019
Accepted: 29 April 2019
Published: 22 May 2019

Abstract

Background

Standard precautions are essential to prevent pathogen transmission and nosocomial infections. We assessed learning effect (primary outcome) and satisfaction (secondary outcome) of watching a 5-min humorous “edutainment (=education and entertainment) video” on Standard Precautions compared to reading a written standard operating procedure (SOP) or receiving no intervention.

Methods

This randomized controlled trial was executed at the University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland, a tertiary care centre with a state-of-the-art infection prevention programme. Healthcare providers (HCPs) of different medical departments were 1:1:1 randomized to watching the edutainment video (video group), reading the SOP (SOP group), or no study-specific intervention (no-intervention group). Online questionnaires included a knowledge assessment about Standard Precautions at time point (TP) 1 immediately after intervention, TP2 after 1 month, and TP3 after 3 months. Information about HCPs’ satisfaction with the learning method was collected. Variables were assessed within and between groups using the appropriate non-parametric tests. Predictors for knowledge of Standard Precautions were assessed by uni- and multivariable linear regression.

Results

Overall, 363 predominantly female (78.2%) HCPs were included. At TP 1 and TP3, the video group scored better on the knowledge assessment against both the SOP and the no-intervention group (TP1 p < .001 and 0.001, TP3 p = 0.036 and 0.048). In the multivariable analysis, being member of the video group was an independent predictor for better knowledge scores. The video was rated higher than the SOP regarding satisfaction with learning experience, and video group participants more frequently indicated they would recommend their learning method to colleagues.

Conclusions

Watching an edutainment video proved to be more effective to improve knowledge about Standard Precautions compared to reading an SOP or no intervention. Satisfaction with the learning method was superior in the video group, suggesting higher potential for future uptake.