Athletic Trainers’ Perceived Behavior Changes After Web-Based Continuing Education on Clinical Documentation: A 6-Month Follow-Up Investigation

Context Web-based continuing education (CE) is effective for increasing knowledge and confidence related to athletic training clinical documentation, but long-term behavior change is unknown. Objective To examine athletic trainers’ (ATs’) perceived effectiveness of and behavior change from clinical documentation CE modules 6 months after completing them. Design Consensual qualitative research. Setting Web-based audio interviews. Patients or Other Participants Twenty-six ATs averaging 36.8 ± 9.3 years of age, including 15 women and 11 men representing 20 US states and 7 clinical practice settings. Data Collection and Analysis We recruited participants who completed a Web-based CE module specific to clinical documentation 6 months before this study. We interviewed participants to obtain updated perspectives of their experiences completing the CE modules and any self-reported behavior change that occurred since the initial learning experience. We used the consensual qualitative research approach to inductively analyze the interviews using 3 internal rotating auditors. In this study, we included data source and multianalyst triangulation to improve trustworthiness. Results We identified 4 domains from the data: behavior changes, value of the course, future needs, and ongoing barriers. (1) Behavior changes included enhanced electronic medical record (EMR) use, timely and diligent documentation habits, more secure communication procedures, and enhanced consistency and staff onboarding procedures. (2) Participants discussed the value of the CE activities in 3 supporting categories, including detailing key content, general benefits, and resources obtained from the modules. (3) Participants identified future needs for documentation, including annual refreshers, various formats, and setting-specific examples. (4) O ngoing barriers affecting participants’ clinical documentation behaviors included lack of time, technology, staff, and financial resources. Conclusions Athletic trainers self-reported improved clinical documentation behaviors 6 months after completion of the CE opportunity. Participants discussed increased EMR use and timely and thorough documentation after the CE activities, which suggests CE opportunities may help address profession-wide challenges previously identified in the literature.