Application of an Ashridge Training Model-Based Ethics an... | NCT07193238

NCT07193238

ID	Type	Description	Link
FNEF202115	Other Grant/Funding Number	Fudan University School of Nursing Research Fund
SYSZ2303	Other Grant/Funding Number	Key Project of Medical Education, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University

Status Module

Description Module

Detailed Description

With the continuous development of the healthcare sector, nursing personnel face increasingly higher professional demands. Newly graduated nurses, lacking work experience, are particularly prone to ethical dilemmas during their transition from nursing students to clinical practitioners. Ophthalmology and otolaryngology diseases often affect patients' sensory functions and quality of life, imposing higher competency requirements on Eye, Ear, Nose, and Throat (EENT) nurses. Standardized training, as a crucial transitional period for new nurses, presents an optimal opportunity to integrate ethical education, thereby fostering their professional outlook and moral qualities.

This study underscores the importance of structured ethical and moral education during this critical transition period. The investigators first developed an ethics and morality curriculum tailored for new EENT nurses based on the Ashridge training model, followed by a non-randomized controlled trial to evaluate its effectiveness. Newly employed nurses (new graduates without work experience) at a tertiary specialized hospital in Shanghai were selected as study subjects. Sixty new nurses employed between January 2022 and December 2022 served as the control group and received conventional training. Between January 2023 and December 2023, sixty newly employed nurses served as the intervention group, receiving an ethics and morality curriculum designed in three phases based on the Ashridge training model, in addition to conventional training.

A mixed-methods research design was adopted. The investigators surveyed the sense of professional mission, professional benefit perception, humanistic care ability, theoretical knowledge, practical skills, and scenario-based case simulation performance in both groups post-training. The qualitative component used purposive sampling to conduct semi-structured interviews with 18 new nurses. Thematic framework analysis was employed to extract viewpoints, categorize reasoning, and summarize themes.

The results indicated that the intervention group outperformed the control group across all measured parameters (P < 0.05). The results highlight the effectiveness of our course in enhancing the professional identity, ethical decision-making, and humanistic care abilities of newly graduated nurses. Our qualitative interviews further complemented the quantitative findings, providing valuable insights for the development of ethical and moral education courses for new nurses.

Arms/Interventions Module

Arm Groups

Label	Type	Description	Intervention Names
Control group	No Intervention	The control group underwent a conventional one-year training for newly graduated nurses, initially consisting of centralized training by the hospital and nursing departments, covering regulations, laws, medical ethics, nursing professional spirit, specialized theory, and basic operational training. Upon entering their respective departments, one-on-one mentorship was provided by instructors, teaching basic nursing, specialized disease care, basic and specialized nursing operations, and nursing workflows. Theoretical knowledge was delivered through PPT lectures, while nursing skill training included demonstrations, explanations, and organized practice. Real-time guidance was provided during the learning process, with periodic assessments in theory and practice to ensure learning outcomes.
Intervention group	Experimental	In addition to the same training as the control group, the intervention group received the Ethics and Moral Course based on the Ashridge training model, tailored for newly graduated nurses.	Other: The Ethics and Moral Course based on the Ashridge training model

Interventions

Name	Type	Description	Arm Group Labels	Other Names
The Ethics and Moral Course based on the Ashridge training model	Other	Based on the three-stage characteristics of the Ashridge training model, the developed the content of this ethics course. (1) Discrete stage (within 3 months of employment): This stage aims to initially cultivate the professional identity of new nurses, stimulating humanistic awareness. It primarily involves self-study, supplemented by instructor supervision and implicit positive guidance. (2) Integrated stage (4-6 months of employment): This stage combines professional identity with actual work, enhancing humanistic care abilities in practice. It emphasizes mutual sharing between instructors and new nurses, utilizing diverse training methods to promote experience and reflection. (3) Cumulative stage (7-12 months of employment): This stage develops critical thinking and ethical problem-solving abilities. It focuses on assessing comprehensive abilities in complex nursing situations, providing feedback on the teaching plan, and evaluating training effectiveness.

Outcomes Module

Primary Outcomes

Measure	Description	Time Frame
Professional Calling	Evaluation was conducted using the Professional Calling Scale. This scale consists of 12 items and is a unidimensional scale. It uses a Likert 5-point scale, ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree), resulting in a total score range of 12 to 60, with higher scores indicating a stronger sense of professional calling.	Within 7 days after the completion of the training program
Professional Benefits	Evaluation was conducted using the Nurse Professional Benefits Scale. This scale comprises 29 items across five dimensions: Positive Professional Perception (5 items), Family and Friends' Recognition (7 items), Team Belongingness (5 items), Good Nurse-Patient Relationship (6 items), and Personal Growth (6 items). It uses a Likert 5-point scale, ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree), with a total score range of 29 to 145. Higher scores indicate a higher level of professional benefits for nurses.	Within 7 days after the completion of the training program
Humanistic Caring Ability	Evaluation was conducted using the Nursing Students' Humanistic Caring Ability Scale. This scale consists of 45 items across eight dimensions: Instilling Beliefs and Hope (9 items), Humanitarian Altruistic Values (6 items), Health Education (7 items), Promoting Emotional Communication (5 items), Scientifically Solving Health Problems (4 items), Assisting in Meeting Basic Needs (4 items), Helping Solve to Difficulties (5 items), and Providing a Good Environment (5 items). It uses a Likert 5-point scale, with positive items scored from 4 (completely agree) to 0 (completely disagree), and 10 reverse-scored items from 0 (completely agree) to 4 (completely disagree), providing a total score range of 0 to 180. Higher scores indicate stronger humanistic caring abilities.	Within 7 days after the completion of the training program

Secondary Outcomes

Measure	Description	Time Frame
Theoretical Knowledge and Practical Skills, and Scenario Simulation Exam Scores	Two groups of newly graduated nurses were assessed on fundamental nursing theory, practical nursing skills, and scenario-based case examinations. Standardized patients were portrayed by three nurses who had undergone rigorous standardized training and passed competency evaluations. The scenario-based case examinations included assessments of ophthalmology and otolaryngology workflows, evaluating the new nurses' abilities in nurse-patient communication, clinical judgment, emergency response, and practical skills.

Eligibility Module

Facility	Status	City	State	ZIP	Country	Contacts
EYE & ENT Hospital, Fudan University		Shanghai		201112	China

References Module

Citations

PubMed Identifier	Type	Citation	Retractions
24989716	Background	Missen K, McKenna L, Beauchamp A. Satisfaction of newly graduated nurses enrolled in transition-to-practice programmes in their first year of employment: a systematic review. J Adv Nurs. 2014 Nov;70(11):2419-33. doi: 10.1111/jan.12464. Epub 2014 Jul 2.
31829113	Background	Cavanagh N, Cockett G, Heinrich C, Doig L, Fiest K, Guichon JR, Page S, Mitchell I, Doig CJ. Compassion fatigue in healthcare providers: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Nurs Ethics. 2020 May;27(3):639-665. doi: 10.1177/0969733019889400. Epub 2019 Dec 12.