Residents in the ICU are frequently assigned learning materials online as part of blended learning models as per learning demands that are superimposed on other patient care. This was a prospective cohort study examining the cross-referencing timestamps for all test attempts and curriculum completion data with resident schedules to determine the hours of curriculum access.
157 pediatric residents participated in the study. 68% of the residents completed the curriculum, with no significant association between overall schedule cohort and curriculum completion. 64% residents made more test attempts at nighttime between 6 PM to 6AM. 12% of all test attempts occurred between 12 AM to 6 AM while off-duty, with 42% occurring between 6 AM to 6 PM. During the study, 97% of the total 157 residents accessed the curriculum rotated through the ICU for the first time. 53% of residents accessed the curriculum during the ICU rotation at least once while on duty. 87% residents were included in the time-of-use analysis. There were no statistically significant differences in demographic characteristics between the two sites or between the schedule cohorts within each site.
In conclusion, residents rotating in the ICU completed the online learning materials mainly during off-duty hours and nighttime, including usage between 12AM and 6 AM while being off-duty. Increasing off-duty workload and nighttime hours might have implications for trainee wellness and educational design, particularly during clinical rotations.
