Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Medical Education
Date Submitted: Nov 28, 2024
Date Accepted: Jun 20, 2025
Date Submitted to PubMed: Jun 25, 2025
E-Learning for Pediatric Emergency Department Staff in Point-of-Care Electroencephalogram Interpretation: a Prospective Cohort Study
ABSTRACT
Background:
Status epilepticus (SE) represents a critical pediatric emergency necessitating prompt treatment and monitoring. The diagnosis of nonconvulsive SE and the monitoring of convulsive SE require EEG recordings. The integration of simplified point-of-care EEG (pocEEG) may improve care in pediatric emergency departments (PEDs).
Objective:
This study aims to assess the efficacy of an electronic EEG self-learning module for improving the interpretation of normal cortical activity, artifacts, and seizure patterns in pocEEG by pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) providers.
Methods:
This prospective cohort study was conducted in a tertiary academic PED and primarily targeted senior medical staff (SMS) while also engaging junior medical staff (JMS), and registered nurses (RNs). A novel EEG e-learning module trained participants to identify normal cortical activity, artifacts, and seizure patterns. The study comprised pretest, posttest, and three-month retention assessments to evaluate the EEG Total Score as its primary outcome and basic EEG knowledge and confidence measures as secondary outcomes.
Results:
Of 102 PEM providers invited, 61 individuals participated (25 SMS, 15 JMS, 21 RNs), and 29 finished the three-tiered study. The EEG Total Score, indicative of accurate EEG classification, increased substantially between pretest and posttest (OR 24.18, 95% CI 7.398 to 79.043, P value < .001) and remained elevated at the retention test, although to a lesser extent. Similar trends were observed in secondary outcomes.
Conclusions:
The implementation of an e-learning EEG module improved the ability of PEM providers to interpret EEGs. This study highlights the feasibility of imparting basic EEG skills to non-experts through targeted educational interventions. However, the sustained retention of such skills requires improvement, emphasizing the necessity for ongoing refresher training. Clinical Trial: N/A
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