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Assistance for people with chronic wounds is directly related to nursing professionals and, in recent decades, it has been a challenge, due to technological advances and increased knowledge on the subject, that requires constant updating to enable effective action and safety. To meet the need for this new professional profile, many higher education institutions are implementing changes by making use of teaching and learning with active methods, which include the Internet as a tool for information access and sharing of educational resources(1).
OBJECTIVES
This study aimed to assess the performance of nursing students in a knowledge test before and after their participation in a distance learning module on topical therapy for chronic wounds using a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE Moodle).
METHODS
This is a quasi-experimental (pre and post-test) study with a quantitative analysis. The study`s participants were 37 students from the last year of a Nursing Undergraduate Course, in a public university in Ribeirao Preto, Brazil. The study was conducted in three phases: application of the pre-test, implementation of the intervention in the VLE Moodle and application of the Post-test. The questions used in the pre and post-test were based on the WOCN (Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing Society)(2,3) and NPUAP (National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel)(5) guidelines. The implementation of the intervention was done as a course entitled "Topical therapy for chronic wounds" by VLE Moodle. Data were analyzed by comparing the performances obtained by the students in the pre and post-test.The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 18.0 was used for data analysis. The Student t test was used to compare the averages of the pre and post-test. The study was submitted to and approved by an Ethics Research Committee. Data were collected after the study's objectives were clarified and the participants consented by signing free and informed consent forms.
RESULTS
Concerning the participants, 95% of them were female with mean age of 23.16 years.There was a statistically significant increase in the mean number of correct answers obtained in the knowledge test after the intervention in all domains and items assessed in the test. In the performance test of knowledge about the domain Systemic Evaluation of Patients (etiology and pathophysiology of wound, skin assessment and risk factors), participants showed an increase on their score from 65% to 79%, on the pre for the post-test. As for items related to Topical Therapy for Chronic Wounds (wound assessment and decision on topical therapy), the average percentage of total correct answers was 52% in the pre-test, and 68% at post-test.
CONCLUSIONS
The use of the VLE Moodle may constitute a support strategy to strengthen and broaden the access of nursing undergraduates to knowledge on relevant themes for the nursing care.