| Summary: | Abstract Introduction Long-term care education is critical, and all residents need to be knowledgeable about this important part of the health care system as demonstrated by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) core competency of systems-based practice. The goal of the “Long-Term Care: Learning the Basics” curriculum is to introduce housestaff of all levels to important topics in long-term care. It introduces learners to long-term care demographics, the different levels of long-term care, how long-term care is financed, as well as an interpretation of quality indicators in skilled nursing facilities. Methods This 2.5-hour session is divided into three parts: an introductory interactive lecture, WebQuests, and peer teaching with discussion. Before and after the session, pre- and posttests were administered to assess the learner's knowledge and self-efficacy. They were also given the opportunity to submit written feedback. The knowledge tests were scored and mean scores calculated. Results Knowledge test scores improved on average for each learner after completing the session with pre (3.4) to post (6.4) mean scores. Self-efficacy was assessed using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = Strongly Agree to 5 = Strongly Disagree). Improvement in self-efficacy is indicated by decreasing mean Likert scores. For the Learning the Basics session, learners on average agreed (mean Likert Score 1.9) that they had the knowledge and skills necessary to assess their patient's care needs and to make long-term care recommendations. This was unchanged after the session (1.9), perhaps because the learners felt they were more “expert” on the material than they actually were prior to the session. Written feedback was positive and reflected that the learners felt the session was worthwhile and informative. The small group format was singled out as “an excellent method to improve learning and cooperation” as well as “interactive and kept us interested.” Negative comments generally highlighted that lecture may have been a more efficient use of their time to review the information while others expressed concern about obtaining adequate information from their peers' presentations. Discussion In sum, this curriculum has demonstrated effectiveness in improving learner's knowledge and self-efficacy about important topics in long-term care. It was the first curriculum established for the Duke University Internal Medicine Residency program to formally educate house staff about long-term care and will continue to be presented in the future.
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