Comparison of Web-based and face-to-face training concerning patient education within a hospital system.

The authors examined education records of 1,661 registered nurses from four affiliated hospitals who attended either a 1-hr face-to-face instructor-led training program, an instructor-facilitated Web-based training program, or an independent Web-based training program to fulfill a training requirement concerning patient education. The authors compared post-test results, course evaluation results, and costs and also developed a demographic profile of nurses' preferences for Web-based and face-to-face learning options. There was no significant difference in course effectiveness or satisfaction between the training methods studied; however, because of the large number of nurses who selected Web-based training, it was the most cost-effective alternative.