ECare-COPD. Self-management promotion in people with COPD: training programme

Abstract

Background: This project aims to improve the skills of current and future nurses for the promotion of self-management of the disease in people with COPD. We have been developing an e-learning training programme (sponsored by the European Union) targeted at first and second study cycles’ students and nurses. This innovative e-learning programme integrates a web clinical virtual simulator (CVS) to develop nurses’ clinical reasoning education. Method: Participatory action research based on a cyclical process divided into five phases. Based on the PROSPERO protocol, a systematic literature review was performed to identify the contents and approaches to include in the programme. Contents were analysed and organized by a group of nurses with respiratory expertise. We defined and designed the decision tree of eight clinical scenarios to be integrated into the CVS. The contents were made available in the e-learning platform, also supported by videos and CVS. Results: The programme was divided into three modules: initial, intermediate and advanced. Ecare-COPD is supported by an e-learning strategy with multimedia content (twenty videos), and a CVS incorporated in the e-learning platform. Conclusion: The implementation of this project has a double impact. Firstly, it enhances the quality and safety of nursing care provided to the person with COPD and, secondly, it responds to the demand for the dematerialization of teaching and to the students and nurses’ intention to use information and communication technologies in education and lifelong learning.