PETS-D (parents education through simulation-diabetes): Parents’ qualitative results

Abstract

Objective Parents who have a child newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D) must quickly learn daily diabetes self-management. An RCT was conducted using human patient simulation (HPS) to enhance parents learning diabetes self-management with children with new-onset T1D. The purpose of this study was to describe parents’ perspectives of using HPS to augment diabetes education. Methods A qualitative descriptive design was used with open-ended in-depth interviews of parents (n=49) post-intervention. Qualitative directed content analysis was used. Results The majority of parents were positive about learning with HPS. Although a few parents said the HPS was “hokey” or “creepy,” most reported the visual and hands-on learning was realistic and very beneficial. Seeing a seizure increased their fear although they would have panicked if they had not had that learning experience, and it helped build their diabetes self-management confidence. Recommendations included teaching others with the HPS (grandparents, siblings, babysitters, and school nurses). Conclusion HPS-enhanced education is an acceptable and viable option that was generally well-received by parents of children with new-onset T1D. Practice Implications The technique should be studied with parents of children with other chronic illnesses to see if the benefits found in this study are applicable to other settings.

CDE Perspectives of Providing New-Onset Type 1 Diabetes Education Using Formal Vignettes and Simulation

“…11 The value of the innovative teaching methodologies used in this study was viewed positively by the CDEs and parents alike. 23 Both vignettes and HPS-enhanced education had positive reactions from both CDEs and parents (note: parents were not asked about vignettes alone, only in conjunction with HPS) 23 and showed modest beneficial effects in quantitative outcomes. 14 This is not surprising given the effectiveness of both vignettes and HPS when used to teach health professionals and health professional students [6][7][8][9]16,17 and the effectiveness of using vignettes in adult diabetes education.…”

“…12,13 There was strong consensus among parents and CDEs that HPS is very beneficial for visual learners. 23 Parents in the PETS-D study who were interviewed about their experience using HPS with vignettes to learn DSM skills stated that they appreciated having visual, hands-on simulation learning experiences because it helped alleviate parents' fears of hurting their child. They recommended that anyone who interacts with a child with T1DM be taught with this technology.…”

“…11 The value of the innovative teaching methodologies used in this study was viewed positively by the CDEs and parents alike. 23…”

“…12,13 There was strong consensus among parents and CDEs that HPS is very beneficial for visual learners. 23…”

Construction and validation of a low-cost simulator for training patients with diabetes mellitus and/or their caregivers in insulin administration

“…The possibility of practicing skills in the simulator, before it was necessary to develop them in their children in an emergency situation, reduced the level of parents' anxiety significantly. 25 Also regarding the use of simulators to train patients, it was demonstrated that the simulation has assisted patients and caregivers in the development of skills for the care of children on mechanical ventilation in the home environment, 26 for the performance of intermittent urinary catheterization, 27 among others.…”