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Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2024; 14(9); 1341; doi: 10.3390/ani14091341

Assessment of a Teaching Module for Cardiac Auscultation of Horses by Veterinary Students.

Abstract: Auscultation of heart sounds is an important veterinary skill requiring an understanding of anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology and pattern recognition. This cross-sectional study was developed to evaluate a targeted, audio-visual training resource for veterinary students to improve their understanding and auscultation of common heart conditions in horses. Fourth- and fifth-year 2021 and 2022 Bachelor of Veterinary Science students at the University of Queensland (UQ) were provided the learning resource and surveyed via online pre- and post-intervention surveys. Results were quantitatively analyzed using descriptive statistics and Mann-Whitney U tests. Open-ended survey questions were qualitatively analyzed by thematic analysis and Leximancer™ Version 4 program software analysis. Over the two-year period, 231 fourth-year and 222 fifth-year veterinary students had access to the resource; 89 completed the pre-intervention survey and 57 completed the post-intervention survey. Quantitative results showed the resource helped students prepare for practicals and their perception of competency and confidence when auscultating equine cardiac sounds improved ( < 0.05). Compared to fifth-year students, fourth-year students felt less competent at identifying murmurs and arrythmias prior to accessing the learning resource ( < 0.05). Fourth-year and fifth-year students' familiarity with detection of murmurs improved after completing the learning resource ( < 0.001). Qualitative analysis demonstrated a limited number of opportunities to practice equine cardiac auscultation throughout the veterinary degree, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, and that integrated audio-visual resources are an effective means of teaching auscultation.
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Publication Date: 2024-04-29 PubMed ID: 38731348PubMed Central: PMC11083587DOI: 10.3390/ani14091341Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

Overview

  • This study evaluated an audio-visual teaching module designed to improve veterinary students’ skills and confidence in cardiac auscultation of horses.
  • The research assessed whether the resource enhanced their understanding and ability to identify common equine heart conditions through pre- and post-intervention surveys.

Background and Importance

  • Cardiac auscultation is a critical veterinary skill involving listening to heart sounds to detect normal function and abnormalities.
  • This skill requires knowledge of anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, and the ability to recognize various heart sound patterns.
  • Developing proficiency in auscultation is challenging and often involves practical experience, which can be limited in traditional curricula.
  • The COVID-19 pandemic further reduced hands-on opportunities for students to practice such skills in person.

Study Design and Participants

  • The study was cross-sectional and conducted over two years (2021 and 2022) at the University of Queensland.
  • Participants were fourth- and fifth-year Bachelor of Veterinary Science students in these cohorts.
  • A total of 231 fourth-year and 222 fifth-year students had access to the teaching module.
  • Pre- and post-intervention online surveys were administered to evaluate the resource’s effectiveness.
  • 89 students completed the pre-intervention survey and 57 completed the post-intervention survey.

Intervention: The Teaching Module

  • The module consisted of audio-visual materials focused on cardiac auscultation in horses.
  • It targeted education on recognizing common heart conditions, such as murmurs and arrhythmias.
  • The resource aimed to supplement learning, especially practical auscultation experiences that students found limited.
  • Students were instructed to use this resource before practical sessions and to improve their pattern recognition skills.

Quantitative Findings

  • After using the module, students reported improved preparation for practical sessions.
  • Statistical analysis (Mann-Whitney U tests) showed significant improvement in students’ self-perceived competency and confidence when auscultating equine cardiac sounds (p < 0.05).
  • Before the intervention, fourth-year students felt significantly less competent in identifying murmurs and arrhythmias compared to fifth-year students (p < 0.05).
  • Both groups showed significant improvement in their familiarity with murmur detection after using the resource (p < 0.001).

Qualitative Findings

  • Open-ended responses highlighted a limitation in practical opportunities for equine cardiac auscultation during the veterinary degree.
  • The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated this lack of hands-on learning experiences.
  • Students perceived integrated audio-visual resources as a valuable and effective alternative teaching tool to learn auscultation skills.
  • Thematic analysis and software-assisted textual analysis (Leximancer™) identified key themes around learning barriers and resource benefits.

Conclusions and Implications

  • The audio-visual teaching module was effective in enhancing veterinary students’ confidence and competence in cardiac auscultation of horses.
  • The resource helped bridge gaps created by limited clinical and practical exposure, which was especially important during COVID-19 restrictions.
  • Fourth-year students benefited notably by closing the confidence gap relative to more experienced fifth-year students.
  • Incorporating such targeted, multimedia learning tools can support veterinary education and better prepare students for clinical work.
  • Future curricula might integrate similar modules to supplement practical training and improve diagnostic skills.

Cite This Article

APA
Wood A, Shapter FM, Stewart AJ. (2024). Assessment of a Teaching Module for Cardiac Auscultation of Horses by Veterinary Students. Animals (Basel), 14(9), 1341. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14091341

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 14
Issue: 9
PII: 1341

Researcher Affiliations

Wood, Alyse
  • School of Veterinary Science, University of Queensland Gatton, 5391 Warrego Highway, Gatton, QLD 4343, Australia.
Shapter, Frances Marie
  • School of Veterinary Science, University of Queensland Gatton, 5391 Warrego Highway, Gatton, QLD 4343, Australia.
Stewart, Allison J
  • School of Veterinary Science, University of Queensland Gatton, 5391 Warrego Highway, Gatton, QLD 4343, Australia.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to publish the results.

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Citations

This article has been cited 1 times.
  1. van Staveren MDB, Muis E, Szatmári V. Self-Reported Management of Incidentally Detected Heart Murmurs in Puppies: A Survey among Veterinarians. Animals (Basel) 2024 Jun 19;14(12).
    doi: 10.3390/ani14121821pubmed: 38929440google scholar: lookup
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