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Biomedical subjects

E N Skakun

Publications and source records attributed to E N Skakun.

13 recordsLinked to original sources

Evaluation of a computer-based clinical reference library in an ICU.

A computer-based clinical reference library (CRL) was developed as a subsystem of the Hewlett-Packard 5600 A patient data management system for use in the 10-bed ICU at the University of Alberta Hospital. The CRL contains 20 information modules and can be accessed at both bedside and central consoles. Information is classified under headings of: definition, incidence, etiology, pathophysiology, pathology, bacteriology, clinical course, diagnosis, treatment, complications, prognosis, and references. The CRL was evaluated by a nonrandomized pretest/post-test, control-experimental research paradigm. Medical students and residents exposed to the system "acquired" significantly more knowledge than their counterparts in a control group. Medical students and nurses used the system for continuing medical education, whereas residents accessed the system for problem-solving. Nurses had strong negative views about the computerized patient data management system and tended not to use the CRL. Correlation between instruction time and gain scores was positive but test correlation coefficients for each subgroup were not significantly different.

Analysis of Variance↗

A comparison between Australasian and Canadian candidates on common examinations in psychiatry.

Multiple choice examinations designed by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada were administered to candidates eligible for certification in the specialty of Psychiatry and to candidates in Australia and New Zealand who were eligible for certification by the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists. Results indicated that two national groups of candidates performed similarly on these common examinations. Comparison of the item analysis based on the two different groups of candidates revealed that most of the items were comparable in difficulty and discrimination. Because of the similar performance of the candidates, the stable cross-national statistical characteristics displayed by the items, and the confirmation of the relevance of the items by Australasian and Canadian content experts, it was concluded that the test items are suitable for testing the knowledge of both Australasian and Canadian candidates. The study recommends that the work begun by the working meetings dealing with international sharing of test materials and sponsored by the CIBA Foundation be continued.

Australia↗

A preliminary investigation of three types of multiple choice questions.

The present study reports the results of an evaluation of three types of multiple choice questions--the five choice completion, and assertion-reason. Fifty-four questions, eighteen of each type and measuring the candidate on the same scientific principle and classified as either factual or comprehension, were developed and included in the General Surgery certifying examination of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. In addition to using descriptive statistics, the multitrait-multimethod technique was used to investigate whether the item types measured different aspects of examinee capabilities. Results indicated that performance on the five choice completion and the multiple completion type questions was roughly the same, whereas performance on the assertion-reason type was lower. The results of the multitrait-multimethod validation revealed that the three item types were unable to discriminate between the two traits of factual and comprehension.

Canada↗

Collusion of information on computerized patient management examinations.

In a computer presented examination the ratio of examinees to computer terminals is generally large. This implies that a computer presented test might span an entire day or several days with different groups of examinees taking the examination at different times. In such a situation, examinees who take the examination later on have the opportunity to gather information from their colleagues who took the examination earlier. This report investigates whether information exchanged between groups of examinees taking a computer presented patient management problem test improves the performance of late takers versus early takers. Results indicate that there is no exchange of information between groups of candidates.

Alberta↗

The use of computerized patient management problems in a certifying examination.

The 1974 paediatric certification process of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada included four CPMPs, in addition to the conventional MCQs and orals. The CPMP's were successfully administered to 160 candidates in eight cities across Canada on the same day. The examination was judged by the candidates to be a better test of clinical skill than MCQs. The CPMP examination did not penalize French-speaking candidates, was economically feasible, and a good security risk. Correlations between MCQ, orals and CPMPs, indicated that each examination measured some aspects of paediatric competence not tested by the others.

Canada↗

Paediatric candidates' attitudes to computerized patient management problems in a certifying examination.

In September 1974 candidates who had taken a computerized patient managment problem examination (CPMP), as part of the certification process in paediatrics required by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, completed a questionnaire designed to elicit their reactions to CPMPs. The results indicated that respondents were favourable to CPMPs, that there was little distraction caused by the equipment, logic or semantics of the problems, and that CPMPs were an acceptable examination technique. It was recommended that, in the future, CPMP examinees be allowed practice time to familiarize themselves with the equipment, that pre-examination instructions should be clarified, and that problems judged inadequate by candidates be revised.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗