Despite the high frequency and cost of sleep disorders, few practitioners have received training in Sleep Disorders Medicine. For this reason, patients with sleep disorders remain undiagnosed and untreated. This project will attempt to increase awareness of sleep disorders medicine through an educational program targeted toward under-graduate, graduate and post-graduate education at Stanford University and physicians in the local community. We have gathered together a diverse team of specialists, representing a variety of disciplines, to develop, implement and evaluate a coherent longitudinal program in Sleep and Chronobiology Medicine. Teaching techniques will be based on modern approaches that have been successful at modifying behavior. The teaching material will be presented through formal lectures, interactive computer programs, video and photographic materials. The use of electronic media will allow us to regularly evaluate progress made by the students and to allow rapid dissemination of the final materials to other universities and medical schools. In addition, we will develop, implement, and evaluate an outreach education program for community physicians in an under-served medical community with a large minority (Hispanic) population. These efforts will also develop patterns of interaction between community physicians in primary care practices and Sleep Centers to improve the knowledge of sleep disorders and provide appropriate educational tools based on computer- based teaching approaches. This program's ultimate goals are the improvement of the knowledge of Sleep and Chronobiology Medicine and the elaboration of basic education of sleep hygiene toward the development of preventative Sleep Disorders Medicine.
| Lee, Kathryn A; Landis, Carol; Chasens, Eileen R et al. (2004) Sleep and chronobiology: recommendations for nursing education. Nurs Outlook 52:126-33 |
