title: Pediatric pain management education in medical students: impact of a web-based module.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Reports from the Institute of Medicine and American Medical Association's Pain and Palliative Medicine Specialty Section Council emphasize the need for pain management education in medical schools, yet training in pediatric pain management (PPM) is limited. In this pilot program, we evaluated the effectiveness of a web-based PPM module on knowledge, confidence, attitudes, and self-reported skills in medical students.
  
  
  METHODS
  Third- and fourth-year medical students (n = 291) completed the module and a knowledge test. Of these students, 53 completed a pre- and postsurvey of confidence, attitudes, and self-reported skills and module evaluation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For the 291 students, knowledge scores increased significantly by 21.8 points (95% confidence interval [CI] = 19.7-23.8; p<0.001). The majority of scores on the survey items significantly increased postmodule, including: increase in confidence in assessing pain in pediatric patients (6% to 25%; p = 0.004), increase in responses of "strongly disagree" or "disagree" to the belief that opioids will delay diagnosis (62% to 85%; p = 0.005), and increase in responses of "frequently" or "very frequently" to "how often do you use behavioral instruments to assess pain severity?" (35% to 57%; p = 0.008). The majority reported they intend to make changes in behavior or practice (71%), and would recommend the module to fellow students (88%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This pilot program supports the effectiveness of a web-based module in improving knowledge, confidence, attitudes, and self-reported skills in PPM. Evaluation responses indicate high-quality content. Further evaluation for sustained impact is warranted.
authors: School of Nursing, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia 23298, USA. swameringer@vcu.edu
authors: Suzanne
authors: S
authors: Ameringer
authors: Deborah
authors: D
authors: Fisher
authors: Sue
authors: S
authors: Sreedhar
authors: Jessica M
authors: JM
authors: Ketchum
authors: Leanne
authors: L
authors: Yanni
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior; D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000592:standards* / Q000639:trends; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D059408:Pain Management / Q000379:methods*; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods*; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000193:education*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015397:Program Evaluation; D013337:Students, Medical; D014768:Virginia