Rapid E-Learning for professional development in school-based diabetes management

The number of school aged youth in the United States requiring assistance in the management of diabetes has reached over 200,000. School nurses are often charged with the training of personnel and provision of assistance to children with this chronic disease. The need for quick, efficient, and accessible training methods is necessary to ensure school nurses have the most current information necessary to perform their duties. The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a rapid e-learning module for school nurse professional development in school-based diabetes management. A sample (N = 1977, n = 1127) of school nurses was asked to complete a module addressing current and/or changing information on diabetes management, the training of staff charged with assisting students, and the associated pre- and post-tests for the module. A total of 678 nurses completed the pre-test, while 449 nurses completed the post-test. T-test results for independent samples indicated a significant increase (p < 0.001) in knowledge at post-test. Results support the contention that e-modules are a convenient and effective way to provide professional development opportunities and improve nurses' knowledge.