Design, implementation and evaluation of web-based electronic logbooks for anesthetic and operating room students in clinical setting

Using novel methods of clinical evaluation is an important policy of educational institutions. Logbooks are among the most effective, novel techniques of clinical activity evaluation. The present study aimed to design, implement, and evaluate an electronic logbook to enhance the quality of evaluating operating room and anesthesiology field apprentices.

This was a combined research. In the qualitative stage, field apprenticeship logbooks were developed using the Delphi method in a purpose-based manner. Following that, the web-based electronic version was designed for Android. In the quantitative stage, clinical evaluation was performed on 30 BSc students of operating room and anesthesiology at Sabzevar School of Paramedical Sciences, Iran. At the end of the semester, a satisfaction scale was completed by the students and analyzed using descriptive statistics.

In total, operating room students of the seventh semester (n=18) and anesthesiology students of the eighth semester (n=12) were enrolled in the study. The mean age of the participants was 21-22 years. The operating room and anesthesiology students had favorable and excellent satisfaction with all the items of the clinical apprenticeship evaluation using the electronic logbook.

According to the results, using an electronic logbook by clinical professors could enhance the performance of students and motivate students to increase their clinical competence in conducting various procedures in the operating room during the apprenticeship period.