Application of an Ashridge Training Model-Based Ethics and Moral Course in Newly Graduated Nurses

Eye & ENT Hospital of Fudan University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Humanistic Care Ability; Theoretical Knowledge and Practical Skills Performance; New Graduated Nurses; Professional Sense of Mission; The Ethics and Moral Course; Professional Benefit Perception

Treatments: Other: The Ethics and Moral Course based on the Ashridge training model

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT07193238

FNEF202115 (Other Grant/Funding Number)

SYSZ2303 (Other Grant/Funding Number)

Ashridge Training Model

Details and patient eligibility

About

The objective of this historical control trial is to evaluate the effectiveness of an Ethics and Moral Course, based on the Ashridge training model, in newly graduated nurses. The primary questions it aims to address are: (1) What is the impact of integrating moral education into the standardized training of newly employed nurses on their professional outlook? (2) Can this study enhance the humanistic care abilities and overall competencies of newly graduated nurses?

Researchers compared two groups of newly employed nurses (without work experience) at a specific hospital. The control group received conventional training, while the intervention group underwent a moral education curriculum designed in three stages based on the Ashridge training model, in addition to traditional training. Post-training, the two groups were compared in terms of their sense of professional mission, perceived professional benefits, humanistic care abilities, theoretical knowledge, and practical skills performance.

Full 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.

Enrollment: 120 patients

Sex: All

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Newly graduated nurses with no prior clinical nursing experience.
• Possession of a nurse licensure certificate.
• Currently undergoing a one-year standardized training for newly graduated nurses.
• Voluntary participation in the study with informed consent signed by the nurse.

Exclusion criteria

• Newly graduated nurses on medical leave exceeding three months or those in a non-working status during the study period, including maternity leave, sick leave, or vacation.
• Nurses with a recent history of major traumatic events leading to mental debilitation or psychological trauma.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Other

Allocation: Non-Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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120 participants in 2 patient groups

Control group

No Intervention group

Description:

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 group

Description:

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.

Treatment:

Other: The Ethics and Moral Course based on the Ashridge training model