Efficacy of a blended learning programme in enhancing the communication skill competence and self-efficacy of nursing students in conducting clinical handovers: a randomised controlled trial

• Published in: BMC medical education 2022-04, Vol.22 (1), p.275-275, Article 275
• Main Authors: Chung, Jessie Yuk Seng, Li, William Ho Cheung, Cheung, Ankie Tan, Ho, Laurie Long Kwan, Chung, Joyce Oi Kwan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Academic Achievement; Beliefs; Between-subjects design; Blended Learning; Clinical Competence; Clinical handover; Communication; Communication skill competence; Communication Skills; Control Groups; Curricula; Distance learning; Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate; Educational Needs; Educational Opportunities; Effect Size; Electronic Learning; Evaluation; Experimental Groups; Group Discussion; Humans; Individual Needs; Instructional Design; Learning Modules; Medical education; Medical Services; Medical students; Nurses; Nursing Education; Nursing Students; Online module; Patient Handoff; Patient safety; Positive Reinforcement; Psychomotor Skills; Retrospective Studies; Sample Size; Self Efficacy; Self-efficacy (Psychology); Social aspects; Students, Nursing; Study and teaching; Teaching; Teaching Methods; Workshops
• ISSN: 1472-6920; 1472-6920
• DOI: 10.1186/s12909-022-03361-3

A clinical handover is an essential nursing practice that ensures patient safety. However, most newly graduated nurses struggle to conduct clinical handovers as they lack sufficient communication skill competence and self-efficacy in this practice. This study aimed to examine the efficacy of a blended learning programme on the communication skill competence and self-efficacy of final-year nursing students in conducting clinical handovers. A randomised controlled design was used. A convenience sample of 96 final-year baccalaureate nursing students at a local university. Data were collected in 2020. Participants were randomly assigned to either an experimental group (n = 50) that received a blended learning programme with face-to-face training and an online module on handover practice, or a waitlist control group (n = 46) that received only face-to-face handover training during the study period and an online module immediately after the completion of data collection. The primary outcome was the communication skill competence and the secondary outcome was the self-efficacy of the participants in conducting clinical handovers. An analysis of covariance was used to examine the between-subjects effects on self-efficacy and communication skill competence in conducting clinical handovers after controlling for the significantly correlated variables. A paired sample t-test was used to determine the within-subjects effects on self-efficacy. The participants in the experimental group had significantly higher communication skill competence (p