Ethics Education for Nurse Leaders

Overseen By Jill K Greenwood-Williamson, DNP, RN

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: OSF Healthcare System

Disqualifiers: Direct care nurses only

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 1

80 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

Using an exploratory study design with an educational intervention, a pre/post evaluation of ethical confidence and competence will be completed for nursing leaders working in either acute care or post-acute care with primary purpose to increase ethical competency and confidence in decision making for nursing leaders in a clinical role.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial protocol does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Ethics Education for nurse leaders?

Research shows that ethics education programs can increase nurses' moral efficacy, which is their confidence in making ethical decisions. This can help reduce moral distress and improve nurse retention, suggesting that ethics education is effective in enhancing ethical decision-making skills. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is Ethics Education for Nurse Leaders safe for humans?

There is no specific safety data available for Ethics Education for Nurse Leaders, but general safety in education programs can be supported by creating a culture of high reliability and improving adverse event reporting, which helps identify risks and improve patient safety. ^{6 7 8 9 10}

How is the Ethics Education treatment for nurse leaders different from other treatments?

Ethics Education for nurse leaders is unique because it focuses on enhancing ethical decision-making confidence and competence, which is not typically addressed by standard medical treatments. This approach is tailored to develop moral leadership qualities and ethical practice in nursing, rather than treating a medical condition. ^{11 12 13 14 15}

Research Team

Jill K Greenwood-Williamson, DNP, RN

Principal Investigator

OSF HealthCare

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for nursing leaders employed in non-profit healthcare settings, including both acute-care units and post-acute care facilities. It aims to enhance their ethical decision-making skills.

Inclusion Criteria

I work as a nursing leader in a non-profit healthcare facility.

I am currently in a hospital or a post-hospital care facility.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Educational Intervention

Participants undergo an ethics education program over a 6-week period

6 weeks

1 pre-assessment, 2 post-assessments

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in ethical competence and confidence

3 months

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Ethics Education

Trial Overview The study tests an educational program designed to boost the ethical confidence and competence of nurse leaders. Participants will undergo a pre/post evaluation to measure the effectiveness of this training.

Participant Groups

Group I: Post-Acute Care Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Nursing leaders will participate voluntarily and will report their leadership role as post-acute care (ambulatory settings)

Group II: Acute Care Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Nursing leaders will participate voluntarily and will report their leadership role as acute care (hospital settings).

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

OSF Healthcare System

Lead Sponsor

Trials

31

Recruited

33,800+

Findings from Research

A program aimed at educating registered nurses (RNs) about high reliability showed a positive impact on their willingness to report adverse events, which is crucial for improving patient safety.

Despite the findings not being statistically significant, they highlight the importance of fostering a culture of high reliability in healthcare to encourage more accurate reporting of adverse events.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Impact of High-Reliability Education on Adverse Event Reporting by Registered Nurses. McFarland, DM., Doucette, JN.[2018]

A survey of 509 clinical research associates (CRAs) and research nurses (RNs) revealed significant variability in adverse event (AE) reporting practices, with only 51.2% using standardized methods, highlighting a need for improved training and consistency.

Respondents identified major challenges in AE reporting, such as differences in trial protocols and definitions, and expressed strong support for additional resources like online reporting modules and standardized tracking forms to enhance reporting accuracy.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Challenges and Barriers to Adverse Event Reporting in Clinical Trials: A Children's Oncology Group Report. Miller, TP., Marx, MZ., Henchen, C., et al.[2023]

References

1. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Understanding Patient Safety and Quality Outcome Data. [2019]

2. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Codes of ethics and scientific integrity: what relevance to outcomes activities? [2019]

3. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of an ethics education program on nurses' moral efficacy in an acute health care facility. [2022]

4. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Clinical ethics residency for nurses: an education model to decrease moral distress and strengthen nurse retention in acute care. [2019]

5. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Ethical Grand Rounds: Teaching Ethics at the Point of Care. [2016]

6. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Managing day-to-day problems in practice. [2004]

7. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Impact of High-Reliability Education on Adverse Event Reporting by Registered Nurses. [2018]

8. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Ethical challenges experienced by veterinary practitioners in relation to adverse events: Insights from a qualitative study. [2023]

9. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Integrating Just Culture into nursing student error policy. [2015]

10. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Challenges and Barriers to Adverse Event Reporting in Clinical Trials: A Children's Oncology Group Report. [2023]

11. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Ethical decision-making confidence scale for nurse leaders: Psychometric evaluation. [2022]

12. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Contribution of ethics education to the ethical competence of nursing students: educators' and students' perceptions. [2014]

13. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Nursing leaders' experiences with the ethical dimensions of nursing education. [2008]

14. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Teaching ethics in nursing curricula. Traditional and contemporary models. [2005]

15. Scotland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Educating for ethical leadership. [2010]