Assessment measures:
Subjects were asked to respond on a questionnaire, to explore their baseline knowledge on LP as a diagnostic procedure. The questionnaire was generated after careful review of the literature and a panel of experts from relevant specialties, namely the PICU, ED, pediatric neurology, and PID team members, who reviewed the quality and content of each tool going to be used. The final version of the used tool was tested to ensure clearance and appropriateness for the targeted population in this study.
The respondents were asked to answer a knowledge test with either true, false, or do not know, on six questions pre and post each educational method (Appendix II). The questions were: LP is used to diagnose meningitis, blood tests are good alternatives to LP for diagnosing meningitis, computerized brain tomography (CT) scan can be an alternative to LP for the diagnosis, a physician can diagnose meningitis without the aid of LP, LP poses more risk to patients than the disease itself, and neonates can undergo LP if they needed one. The correct answers were rated with 10 points each, and incorrect answers were assigned zero, so the maximum possible score was 60. The knowledge score best correct answers were based on experts’ careful evidence review of the epidemiological consequences of LP in both adults and children.8-9
Additionally, the respondents were asked to answer seven questions that tapped Perceived Risk of LP complications pre and post-education on a 0-4 Likert-like scale (coded as zero uncertain, 1 Never, 2 sometimes, 3 often, and 4 very often). This questionnaire included the followings: LP can have very severe side effects, LP can lead to Paralysis, LP can lead to enuresis, LP can lead to sterility, LP can lead to scoliosis, LP can Lead to meningitis, general anesthesia is needed to obtain LP in children, and lastly, LP can lead to chronic back pains. The maximum possible score is equal to 7 items x 4= 28, and the uncertainty was coded with zero. The summative analysis was utilized to compute a total knowledge score (out of 60 possible correct answers) and total perceived risk (also out of a maximum of 28 points).