Computer-Assisted Instruction (CAI) in Arterial Blood Gas Interpretation: Part I. The Effect of CAI on Students' Ability to Interpret Blood Gas Values

Abstract

We sought to determine the effectiveness of computer-assisted instruction (CAI) in arterial blood gas (ABG) interpretation as an adjunct to the conventional lecture. Method: A CAI program, developed at our institution, was used as a treatment in a randomized-groups, pretest-posttest design. Both experimental and control groups were pretested on their ability to interpret the results of ABG analysis, several weeks following a conventional lecture on the subject. The experimental group then used the CAI program for 30 minutes. The control group received no treatment. Both groups were then posttested on oxygenation and acid base aspects of ABG interpretation. We compared the mean-change scores for both groups. Results: The CAI group improved an average of 50 percentage points on oxygenation and 26 points on acid-base, whereas the control group improved only 11 percentage points on oxygenation and did not change its score on acid-base. CAI scores were significantly improved compared to control scores (P<0.01). Conclusion: We conclude that CAI is an effective instructional tool for the review and reinforcement of ABG interpretation as evidenced by improved test scores. CAI's efficacy compared to other learning strategies and techniques requires further study.

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