Samantha DeLenardo1, Joanne Savory, Frank Feiner, Madalina Cretu, Jacqueline Carnegie. 1. Author Affiliations: Communications Coordinator (Ms DeLenardo), Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto; Assistant Professor (Drs Savory and Feiner) and Associate Professor (Dr Carnegie), Department of Cellular & Molecular Medicine, and Fourth Year BSN student, Faculty of Health Sciences (Ms Cretu), University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Nursing students need to not only understand the pathophysiological basis of disease but also acquire insight into its effects on patients and their families. PURPOSE: Digital storytelling was used to engage students in self-directed, online learning, allowing them to identify with patients dealing with disease and its consequences. METHODS: Scripts were written and videos created that simulated patient experiences with select diseases of the gastrointestinal and respiratory systems as well as diabetes. Videos plus online self-testing questions were provided to nursing students studying pathophysiology and student outcomes on summative examinations compared before and after introduction of the videos. RESULTS: Students had improved outcomes on summative examination questions that targeted diseases addressed in the video modules. CONCLUSIONS: Digital storytelling is an effective way to portray illness from a patient perspective, and the addition of this approach to pathophysiology instruction can benefit student learning.
BACKGROUND: Nursing students need to not only understand the pathophysiological basis of disease but also acquire insight into its effects on patients and their families. PURPOSE: Digital storytelling was used to engage students in self-directed, online learning, allowing them to identify with patients dealing with disease and its consequences. METHODS: Scripts were written and videos created that simulated patient experiences with select diseases of the gastrointestinal and respiratory systems as well as diabetes. Videos plus online self-testing questions were provided to nursing students studying pathophysiology and student outcomes on summative examinations compared before and after introduction of the videos. RESULTS: Students had improved outcomes on summative examination questions that targeted diseases addressed in the video modules. CONCLUSIONS: Digital storytelling is an effective way to portray illness from a patient perspective, and the addition of this approach to pathophysiology instruction can benefit student learning.