The aim of this study was to asses the impact of a visit to the NIHERST/NGC National Science Centre in Trinidad on four different school-age visitor groups. The research was conducted through the administering of a post-visit questionnaire immediately upon completion of each visit by each group, and via visitor feedback obtained in post-visit or pre-visit activities conducted within two weeks of the visit for three groups. Teachers/instructors who accompanied the groups on their visit also completed post-visit questionnaires and provided additional information on follow-up activities via an interview. The results of this investigation suggest that the visit to this science centre provided entertainment/enjoyment value and potential educational value to most individuals. The nature of this enjoyment was noted for various age groups and genders in this study. Quantification of the educational impact was not possible within the constraints of this study, which was unable to capture long-term effects of the supply of ‘new knowledge’ to visitors which the visit to the science centre had provided.

Objective: Increased prenatal care satisfaction is associated with positive clinical and business outcomes. Despite a link between pre-visit preparation interventions and patient satisfaction, little is known about the development of digital pre-visit interventions to improve prenatal patient satisfaction. Methods: A two-phase approach was employed. In the first phase, a mixed-methods survey was deployed to establish determinants of patient satisfaction, to identify unmet patient needs, determine current preparation practices and determine what visit patients felt the least prepared for. A convenience sample of 87 prenatal patients completed a self-administered survey on a tablet within 4 weeks of their estimated due date. In the second phase, a combination of participant interviews and staff workshops followed a Design Thinking methodology to co-design a prototype intervention to help patients prepare for their visit. Results: Of the participants surveyed, 94.1% reported feeling satisfied with their prenatal care. Visit preparedness was found to be a statistically significant predictor of overall satisfaction. Preparedness was lowest in early pregnancy and for primigravida patients. Patients reported a mismatch between high informational needs and low visit frequency in early pregnancy. To fulfill their information needs, participants conducted frequent research on their pregnancy, often using digital resources such as websites, peer-forums, mobile applications and social media. Participants reported low satisfaction with system characteristics of their care, citing the wait time needed to see their provider, time spent in the waiting room and a lack of flexibility in appointment scheduling as pain points in their care. Utilizing a Design Thinking approach, a prototype digital on-boarding package was co-developed with patients and clinic staff. Conclusions for Practice: Implementation of a digital on-boarding package for patients ahead of their first visit has the potential to fulfill informational needs and set expectations for their care journey, which in turn can increase preparedness and satisfaction. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc) / Satisfied patients are more likely to have better health outcomes, are more likely to provide a positive review about their care provider and are less likely to pursue malpractice claims. One possible way to make patients more satisfied is to better prepare them for visits with their doctor. This study explored the current pregnancy experience of patients at an obstetrics clinic in Niagara and combined patient and staff input to come up with potential ways to help them prepare. Most patients were satisfied with their care, especially ones who said they felt well prepared for their visits. Patients in their first pregnancy felt least prepared for their visits. Patients in early pregnancy shared that they had many questions and that they wished they could have seen their physician earlier. To help patients, a digital on-boarding package was designed to answer patients’ questions and connect them with trustworthy resources.