Skip to main content

Researcher's Corner: Pandemic transition to online for healthcare profession education


A person in a white coat and stethoscope has a video call on laptop
4 minutes

Research and Innovation Corner shines the spotlight on research studies that have been published in the Journal of Innovation in Polytechnic Education (JIPE). Follow-up interview by Saran Davaajargal.

Abstract: The pandemic caused a sudden and rapid transition to online of health profession education programs, in an attempt to maintain the critical supply of new graduates during a pandemic. A gap existed pre-pandemic between technology mediated pedagogy and digital health literacy; a gap that was forced to narrow. Health education educators considered digital equity for students and the resultant impact of the digital divide in online environments for competency attainment related to digital health literacy and quality patient care. This team engaged in an emancipatory action research webscrape of the immediate pivot period to online in winter 2020 to summarize the expertise being shared over social media platforms or teaching and learning excellence podcasts and blogs. The search criteria for the webscrape covered three areas including changes in 1) healthcare profession education, 2) innovations, and 3) diversity, equity and inclusion. The results, in relation to pre-pandemic reflections, were on the future of education and maintaining innovative momentum found during the pandemic, the future of healthcare and being attuned to patient needs despite virtual care delivery, along with the future society and ensuring students attain digital wisdom. This webscrape speaks to what health profession education values going forward, reducing the digital divide for students and patients.

Read the full article published in JIPE: Pandemic transition to online for healthcare profession education: A webscrape seeking perspectives of innovation and digital equity

How did you get started in your research journey?

Natasha Murdoch (NM): Many of us on this pandemic health education team had worked together before in teaching, coordinating or leadership capacities. Because of our positions or roles within our institutions, we were accessible to faculty and students to listen to their concerns about how the pandemic was affecting teaching and learning. For myself, I had already begun research on the nursing experience of continuing clinical placements in the early days of the pandemic. Some of those findings reflected the concerns of students, families, staff and patients on the risk of getting COVID. For those on our team in leadership positions, they were making decisions in the moment on the acceptability of risk in an unknown experience. We also have a team member who was a simulation faculty and became so important to her institution in designing, curating and teaching faculty about virtual simulations. This was a cross-institutional issue, and since all of us were interested in how this would impact professional practice, we began working on a multi-phased research plan to address not only the immediate concerns but also the perceived concerns of graduates who had been trained mostly virtually. This made our student partner an invaluable source of information.

Why did you choose this research topic?

NM: Our main driver for pursuing this topic was access to education. We were hearing that faculty and students were overwhelmed with the move to virtual spaces, which included having access to good technology, acceptable wifi and scholarly resources. Digital equity was a problem with the move off campuses, away from teaching and learning communities that support traditionally underrepresented learners.

What next? What is the perceived impact of this research study?

NM: From this first article in JIPE, this team completed a mixed methods study on the experience of faculty moving health education to online learning so quickly. What we found in both the webscrape article and the mixed methods project is that issues with health profession education already existed were exacerbated during the pandemic, and faculty perceived that new issues would then spill into healthcare practice. Prior to the pandemic, the increase in simulation reduced a relational approach to care, that simulation without adequate investment may not provide the experiences required for practice, and that digital health literacy was a barrier for patients. Faculty and practice environments now have to fill the training gap of relating to colleagues and patients face-to-face in a work environment that is short-staffed and burnt out with patients who have been on long waiting lists. Health profession educators have now gained the tools to address digital equity for learners and patients.

What are your favourite books?

NM: I just finished listening to the author Fern Brady narrate her book, Strong Female Character. I also cannot get the NK Jemisin series that starts with The Fifth Season out of my head.

What does “research” and “innovation” mean to you? \

Watch Natasha's video response to this question here.

About

Natasha Hubbard Murdoch is Assistant Professor at the University of Saskatchewan. Her research is focused on understanding how caregivers experience belonging. Focusing on patient and family-centred approaches to co-design of projects and outcomes, she engages teams that follow the principles of interprofessional collaboration and practice. Mentorship and partnership are key to supporting colleagues, students and family partners to design actionable and evidence-based community initiatives. She is particularly interested in supporting students and new graduates in navigating the complex interdependence of health profession education and practice and how that impacts patient and caregiver outcomes.