25344483
BACKGROUND	Insufficient skills in drug dose calculations increase the risk for medication errors .
BACKGROUND	Even experienced nurses may struggle with such calculations .
BACKGROUND	Learning flexibility and cost considerations make e-learning interesting as an alternative to classroom teaching .
BACKGROUND	This study compared the learning outcome and risk of error after a course in drug dose calculations for nurses with the two methods .
METHODS	In a randomised controlled open study , nurses from hospitals and primary healthcare were randomised to either e-learning or classroom teaching .
METHODS	Before and after a 2-day course , the nurses underwent a multiple choice test in drug dose calculations : 14 tasks with four alternative answers ( score 0-14 ) , and a statement regarding the certainty of each answer ( score 0-3 ) .
METHODS	High risk of error was being certain that incorrect answer was correct .
METHODS	The results are given as the mean ( SD ) .
RESULTS	16 men and 167 women participated in the study , aged 42.0 ( 9.5 ) years with a working experience of 12.3 ( 9.5 ) years .
RESULTS	The number of correct answers after e-learning was 11.6 ( 2.0 ) and after classroom teaching 11.9 ( 2.0 ) ( p = 0.18 , NS ) ; improvement were 0.5 ( 1.6 ) and 0.9 ( 2.2 ) , respectively ( p = 0.07 , NS ) .
RESULTS	Classroom learning was significantly superior to e-learning among participants with a pretest score below 9 .
RESULTS	In support of e-learning was evaluation of specific value for the working situation .
RESULTS	There was no difference in risk of error between groups after the course ( p = 0.77 ) .
CONCLUSIONS	The study showed no differences in learning outcome or risk of error between e-learning and classroom teaching in drug dose calculations .
CONCLUSIONS	The overall learning outcome was small .
CONCLUSIONS	Weak precourse knowledge was associated with better outcome after classroom teaching .

