Evaluation of an online education program for healthcare professionals on best practice management of perinatal deaths: IMPROVE eLearning

Abstract

BackgroundThe IMPROVE (IMproving Perinatal Mortality Review and Outcomes Via Education) eLearning, developed by the Stillbirth Centre of Research Excellence in partnership with the Perinatal Society of Australia and New Zealand was launched in December 2019. Based on the successful face‐to‐face program, the eLearning aims to increase availability and accessibility of high‐quality online education to healthcare professionals providing care for families around the time of perinatal death, to improve the delivery of respectful and supportive clinical care and increase best practice investigation of perinatal deaths.AimsTo evaluate participants' reported learning outcomes (change in knowledge and confidence) and overall acceptability of the program.MethodsPre‐ and post‐eLearning in‐built surveys were collected over two years (Dec. 2019–Nov. 2021), with a mix of Likert and polar questions. Pre‐ and post‐eLearning differences in knowledge and confidence were assessed using McNemar's test. Subgroup analysis of overall acceptability by profession was assessed using Pearson's χ2.ResultsOne thousand, three hundred and thirty‐nine participants were included. The majority were midwives (80.2%, n = 1074). A significant improvement in knowledge and confidence was shown across all chapters (P < 0.01). The chapter showing the greatest improvement was perinatal mortality audit and classification (21.5% pre‐ and 89.2% post‐education). Over 90% of respondents agreed the online education was relevant, helpful, acceptable, engaging. Importantly, 80.7% of participants considered they were likely to change some aspect of their clinical practice after the eLearning. There was no difference in responses to relevance and acceptability of the eLearning program by profession.ConclusionsThe IMPROVE eLearning is an acceptable and engaging method of delivery for clinical education, with the potential to improve care and management of perinatal deaths.