[Development and assessment of a multimedia computer program to teach pleural drainage techniques].
OBJECTIVE
To develop a multimedia educational computer program designed to teach pleural drainage techniques to health professionals, as well as to evaluate its efficacy.


METHODS
We planned and developed a program, which was evaluated by 35 medical students, randomized into two groups. Group 1 comprised 18 students who studied using the program, and group 2 comprised 17 students who attended a traditional theoretical class given by an experienced teacher. Group 1 students were submitted to two subjective evaluations using questionnaires, and both groups took an objective theoretical test with multiple choice questions and descriptive questions. The results of the theoretical test were compared using the Mann-Whitney test.


RESULTS
The subjective evaluation of the technological aspects and content of the program ranged from excellent to very good and good. The software was considered highly instructive by 16 students (88.9%), and 17 students (94.4%) thought it might partially substitute for traditional classes. Between the two groups, there was no significant difference in the multiple choice test results, although there was such a difference in the descriptive question results (p < 0.001), group 1 students scoring higher than did those in group 2.


CONCLUSIONS
The computer program developed at the Federal University of São Paulo Paulista School of Medicine proved to be a feasible means of teaching pleural drainage techniques. The subjective evaluation of this new teaching method revealed a high level of student satisfaction, and the objective evaluation showed that the program was as efficacious as is traditional instruction.
Perfeito
João Aléssio Juliano
JA
Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil. japerfeito.dcir@epm.br
Forte
Vicente
V
Giudici
Roseli
R
Succi
José Ernesto
JE
Lee
Jae Min
JM
Sigulem
Daniel
D
D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D004322:Drainage / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D004521:Educational Measurement; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000193:education; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D019212:Multimedia; D010994:Pleura; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012985:Software Design; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods*; D013813:Therapy, Computer-Assisted / Q000193:education / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D019616:Thoracic Surgical Procedures / Q000193:education*