Fluid and electrolyte management: increasing the knowledge of House Officers using an interactive eLearning tool

Background Interactive case-based tutorials represent a well-established method of improving House Officer learning. There has been little research on how tutorials of this kind can be improved, and whether their use changes practice. Aim Our study aims to assess whether our eLearning tutorial on IV fluid and electrolyte prescribing improves the underlying knowledge base and confidence of participating House Officers, with regards to fluid and electrolyte balance physiology and prescribing. Method An interactive eLearning module with core information on fluid and electrolyte prescribing and associated cases with questions and answers was created and distributed to participating House Officers in the 2019–2020 cohort nationwide. Participants were asked to complete pre-eLearning and post-eLearning questionnaires as well as a feedback survey to assess the efficacy of the module. Results Forty-nine House Officers completed the eLearning module and associated questionnaires. A majority of participants (69.3%) reported their previous teaching on fluid and electrolyte management as “very poor”, “poor” or “mediocre”. The average score for the pre-eLearning knowledge test was 75%, compared to a score of 97% for the post-eLearning knowledge test, resulting in a 22% increase in correct answers ( p < 0.001). We found an increase of 53% in feeling “confident” or “very confident” in assessing and managing fluid requirements, and an increase of 57.1% in feeling “confident” or “very confident” in managing electrolyte requirements after undertaking the eLearning module. Conclusion An interactive eLearning tutorial with real-world applications provides an effective, low-cost intervention that can improve confidence and skill in prescribing IV fluids.