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Frailty, Falls and Osteoporosis: Learning in Elderly Patients Using a Theatrical Performance in the Classroom

  • Published:
The journal of nutrition, health & aging

Abstract

Objective

To ascertain the usefulness of a simulated clinical scene with actors in the classroom (theatrical performance) as a teaching tool for the management of falls and their related injuries.

Design

Experimental design of two related groups.

Setting

Spain.

Participants

A group of 12 students attended a seminar in which the approach to a clinical case was made using a simulated scene with actors in the classroom (scene group); a non-scene group of 34 students attended the seminar, without a theatrical performance (the same clinical case was read and presented in a traditional manner, oral presentation).

Measurements

Before and after the seminar, students answered a questionnaire [five questions on theoretical knowledge of falls and osteoporosis (score 0–10) and two on subjective learning perception (linear scale: 0–10) (score 0–20)]. In the scene group were two further questions included at the end on their opinion of the scene and on the seminar overall.

Results

Both groups significantly improved in all questionnaire scores after the seminar (p=0.001). The scene group had a greater rise in mean points of the questionnaire before and after the seminar than the non-scene group: theoretical knowledge [3.81±1.69 versus 2.75±1.33 (p=0.033)], subjective questions [6.08±4.10 versus 4.97±2.24 (p=0.247)], and the questionnaire overall [9.89±4.98 versus 7.72±2.66 (p=0.060)]. The scene group had a very good opinion of the usefulness of the scene and of the overall opinion of the seminar: 9.08±0.95 and 9.41±0.79.

Conclusions

Theatrical performance in the classroom seems to promote better learning than classic oral presentation, providing qualitative value by adding creativity and different approaches to the teaching of medicine.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to Christine O’Hara for assistance with the English version of the manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Geriatric Department, Parc de Salut Mar, Paseo Marítimo, 25-29, 08003, Barcelona, Spain

    María José Robles, I. Arnau-Barrés & R. Miralles

  2. Medicine Department of the UAB, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

    María José Robles & R. Miralles

  3. Department of Nursing, Parc de Salut Mar, Barcelona, Spain

    A. Esperanza & M. T. Garrigós

Authors
  1. María José Robles
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  2. A. Esperanza
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  3. I. Arnau-Barrés
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  4. M. T. Garrigós
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  5. R. Miralles
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to María José Robles.

Ethics declarations

Disclosure statement: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Ethical aspects: The use of simulated patients is common at our university. Students are accustomed and it is not perceived as something new or experimental. Since the research does not directly involve persons, material of human origin or experimental animals, ethical approval for the study was not required according to the current regulations at our university (28). At the beginning of the seminar, all students were informed of the methodology and contents. Oral consent was given by all. Participation in the seminar was in the context of the normal academic course. Furthermore, attending as one seminar group or the other was not a disadvantage from the academic point of view. Students’ data and results were treated as part of their normal course in the academic activity of the university; however in the study, data of the students were used anonymously.

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Robles, M.J., Esperanza, A., Arnau-Barrés, I. et al. Frailty, Falls and Osteoporosis: Learning in Elderly Patients Using a Theatrical Performance in the Classroom. J Nutr Health Aging 23, 870–875 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-019-1272-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-019-1272-0

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