Development of a learning-oriented computer assisted Instruction designed to improve skills in the clinical assessment of the nutritional status: a pilot evaluation

摘要

Computer assisted instruction (CAI) is an effective tool for evaluating and training studentsand professionals. In this article we will present a learning-oriented CAI, which has been developedfor students and health professionals to acquire and retain new knowledge throughthe practice. A two-phase pilot evaluation was conducted, involving 8 nutrition experts and30 postgraduate students, respectively. In each training session, the software developedguides users in the integral evaluation of a patient’s nutritional status and helps them to implementactions. The program includes into the format clinical tools, which can be used torecognize possible patient’s needs, to improve the clinical reasoning and to develop professionalskills. Among them are assessment questionnaires and evaluation criteria, cardiovascularrisk charts, clinical guidelines and photographs of various diseases. This CAI is acomplete software package easy to use and versatile, aimed at clinical specialists, medicalstaff, scientists, educators and clinical students, which can be used as a learning tool. Thisapplication constitutes an advanced method for students and health professionals to accomplishnutritional assessments combining theoretical and empirical issues, which can beimplemented in their academic curriculum.