PARTICIPANT OUTCOMES OF A MASSIVE OPEN ONLINE COURSE (MOOC) DEVELOPED AS A RESPONSE TO EDUCATE PHYSIOTHERAPISTS ON CORONAVIRUS DISEASE 2019

N. Beamish^1,2, T. Lowe², R. Lowe²

Background: Physiotherapists are essential members of the healthcare teams that are assessing and treating individuals who have been diagnosed with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). It is, therefore, essential that physiotherapists understand the many aspects of their role in identifying, containing, mitigating and treating the symptoms of this disease. Recognizing the immediate need to educate physiotherapists, Physiopedia produced a massive open online course (MOOC), to educate physiotherapists about COVID-19.

Purpose: This study aimed to 1) explore physiotherapists' current involvement with the COVID-19 pandemic and 2) to determine if a MOOC containing four online learning modules about COVID-19 improves knowledge and confidence among physiotherapists.

Methods: Physiotherapists who completed the learning modules were recruited by email to participate in this web-based questionnaire. The questionnaire contained 29 items in three domains:
1) demographics (geographical, educational and clinical backgrounds),
2) knowledge gained from the programme and
3) respondents’ confidence in respiratory physiotherapy for patients presenting with COVID-1.
A descriptive analysis was completed for all the response variables from the questionnaire.

Results:  A total of 588 physiotherapists from 65 different countries with a range of years of clinical experience (students (31%), 0-5 years (32%), 6-9 years (11%), >10 years (26%)) participated. Of the respondents who were practicing physiotherapists, 49% reported working in the role that they had before the pandemic, 30% were unable to practice, 14% reported seeing patients through telehealth, 7% had been redeployed. The majority of respondents (90%) agreed that after completing the programme they had a better understanding of the clinical presentation, diagnosis, management and prevention of COVID-19 and their understanding of infection prevention and control and the procedures and policies for hand hygiene and personal protective equipment had improved. 83 % agreed that their understanding of respiratory management of patients with COVID-19 and the role physiotherapists can play in managing these issues had improved after completing the modules. Respondents were most confident in their ability to identify the most common complications seen in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 and were least confident in their ability to identify the radiological presentation for acute respiratory distress syndrome. After completing the programme respondents reported their clinical practices were positively influenced by their improved awareness of infection prevention and control measures (including proper use of personal protective equipment, hand hygiene and COVID-19 symptom screening) and their ability to advocate for the role of physiotherapy for patients with COVID-19.

Conclusion(s): During the COVID-19 pandemic, physiotherapists with a range of clinical experience were in agreement that a MOOC improved their knowledge and increased their confidence in specific areas related to the role they have in identifying, containing, mitigating and treating the symptoms of this disease.

Implications: A MOOC can improve physiotherapists' knowledge and increase their confidence in treating individuals with a novel disease. Providing physiotherapists with evidence-informed information quickly can have a positive impact on clinical practices and patient safety.

Funding, acknowledgements: No funding was awarded for this project.

Keywords: online learning, COVID-19, rehabilitation

Topic: COVID-19

Did this work require ethics approval? Yes

Institution: Queen's University

Committee: Queen’s University Health Sciences and Affiliated Teaching Hospitals Research Ethics Board

Ethics number: REH-765-20