Virtual Nurse Education in the Treatment, Management of Patients with AD

Atopic Dermatitis (AD) remains to be a disease with significant impact to psychosocial quality of life for patients and families. And because of the nature of the disease, its treatment can be complex and time-consuming. Physicians, however, often lack time availability to thoroughly counsel patients on AD treatment specifics due to large patient volumes. Nurses, on the other hand, have smaller clinician-to-patient ratios and increased patient contact time, according to an abstract presentation in the late breaking session at the Revolutionizing Atopic Dermatitis (RAD) Conference, held April 9 to 11, in Baltimore, Maryland.

The study abstract “Evaluation of a Comprehensive Web-Based Educational Program to Nurses on Atopic Eczema and its Management”, included nursing students and registered nurses (RNs) with a web-based curriculum based on validated eczema schooling and had 8 modules focused on AD. The educational program assessed knowledge and confidence in treating AD, according to the presentation. This included a baseline survey, post-assessment, and 1-month follow-up survey.

At the beginning of the study, 253 participants completed the baseline survey. Compared to that number, 235 (92.9%) completed the post-assessment and 67 (26.5%) completed the 1-month follow-up survey.

In the baseline survey, participants had an average correct answer score of 19.894, according to the presentation. After intervention using the educational program, the average score grew to 29.799 and 1-month later, the score had dipped to 26.074.

Participant confidence scores managing patients with AD was assessed on a 0 to 4 scale—4 being most confident. At the beginning of the study, the average confidence score was 1.485. After intervention, however, the score had risen to 2.946.

Additionally, participant confidence scores in changing AD treatment went from 1.763 (pre-study) to 3.204 (after the educational program).

Results showed that compared to RNs, nursing students has greater improvements in knowledge from pre- and post-intervention. Compared to nursing students, however, RNs had a greater improvement in confidence from pre- and post-intervention. Both nursing students and RNs showed increased confidence in their ability to manage AD and in their knowledge for when to switch treatments for patients with AD who had suboptimal responses to topical therapies, according to the abstract.

The presentation concluded that virtual educational modules significantly increased the knowledge base of both nursing groups on AD and its management.

Reference:

Bekhash M, Andrade LF, Golpanian RS, et al. Evaluation of a comprehensive web-based educational program to nurses on atopic eczema and its management. Presented at: Revolutionizing Atopic Dermatitis; April 9-11, 2022; Baltimore, MD.