Most direct, hands-on healthcare is delivered by nursing assistants. Reliance on these caregivers is increasing rapidly as administrators look for low-cost providers, recovery care shifts from hospitals to rehabilitation facilities, and the prevalence of chronic illnesses increase in an ever-aging population. Unfortunately, training resources are often inadequate for these caregivers who impact the quality of life of so many elderly and sick patients. The Caregiving Basic Skills Trainer (C-BST) is an interactive web-delivered multimedia tutorial designed to supplement and enhances caregiver education. CBST Phase I teaches caregivers how to perform essential caregiving skills, including Communication, Cleaning and Storing Dentures, Bed to Wheelchair Transfer, and Infection Control Practices. Cutting-edge instructional strategies encourage learners to think about the reasons behind the steps in those skills so that learning becomes more than rote memorization. Results from the usability and teaching effectiveness study indicate that learners found the software easy and enjoyable to use and significantly increased their knowledge of caregiving topics after using C-BST for just one hour. Phase II will expand the library of learning modules established in Phase I and will focus on psychosocial and communication skills. CBST II modules will include cross-cultural communication; communicating with families; the culture of aging; English as a second language (ESL) support; AIDS education, and fighting burnout. Two types of trials are planned: randomized teaching effectiveness trials comparing CBST to traditional teaching methods, and usability and utility trials in which NA students and educators will incorporate CBST into their classrooms. ? ?
