An evaluation of learner perception of competency and satisfaction with three models of an interdisciplinary surge capacity course.

Disaster preparation is a major public health issue, and hospitals play a front-line role in responding to emergencies and disasters. A key concern identified by clinicians is one of being overwhelmed by patients but also by their families and the general public in the event of a disaster. In response to this concern, an online, workplace-based, interprofessional course in surge capacity building was developed and delivered to 72 health and allied staff from five acute care and community health care organizations. Three versions of the course were evaluated: a stand-alone online course; the online course plus a tabletop exercise; and the online course plus the tabletop plus an e-simulation exercise. A descriptive study, using surveys, was conducted to examine the impact of the online course on learners' perceptions of their competency, their interprofessional skills, and satisfaction with the two different course delivery options. Learners made significant gains in their perceptions of surge and interprofessional practice competency after the online course. This study demonstrates that online learning, particularly when combined with a tabletop exercise, can be an effective way to support surge capacity skills. Further research, regarding simulation and its integration with online learning is an important topic for further exploration.