Therapeutic Communication Training in Perinatal Loss: Simulation-Based Approaches

NCT ID: NCT06959875

Last Updated: 2025-05-07

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 70 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2024-12-01
• Study Completion Date: 2025-01-30

Brief Summary

This study aims to evaluate the effect of simulation-based education on nursing students' therapeutic communication skills in managing perinatal loss. Perinatal loss, defined as early fetal loss before 20 weeks of gestation and late fetal loss at or after 20 weeks, is a traumatic experience that significantly impacts parents, especially mothers, on biological, psychological, social, and spiritual levels. Prolonged grief reactions can lead to complicated grief, anxiety, depression, hopelessness, and relationship disturbances. Nursing students are trained to adopt a biopsychosocial approach in patient care and are expected to support grieving individuals by normalizing emotions, identifying coping strategies, and facilitating healthy grief processing. Simulation is recognized as an effective teaching method in developing communication and therapeutic skills among nursing students. This research investigates how simulation-based training can enhance students' therapeutic communication competencies when supporting individuals experiencing perinatal loss.

Conditions

Simulation-based Learning; Communication Skills; Paper-Pencil Simulation; High-fidelity Simulation

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: OTHER
• Blinding Strategy: SINGLE

Study Groups

High-Fidelity Simulation-Based Therapeutic Communication Training

Participants in this group engaged in a high-fidelity simulation scenario involving perinatal loss, using a realistic clinical setting with mannequins and role-play. The simulation aimed to provide an experiential learning environment that fosters emotional engagement and realistic practice of therapeutic communication techniques. Students received a structured debriefing session following the simulation.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

High-Fidelity Simulation-Based Therapeutic Communication Training

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

This intervention involves a structured, high-fidelity simulation scenario in a clinical skills lab setting using mannequins and standardized patients. The scenario focuses on communication with a patient experiencing perinatal loss. The session includes pre-briefing, simulation, and debriefing components.

Paper-Pencil Simulation-Based Therapeutic Communication Training

Participants in this group participated in a paper-pencil simulation that presented a written clinical scenario involving perinatal loss. Students were asked to analyze the situation, write down appropriate therapeutic communication responses, and discuss these in a guided session. This method focused on the cognitive application of theoretical knowledge in a reflective and structured manner.

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Paper-Pencil Simulation-Based Therapeutic Communication Training

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

This intervention utilizes a written clinical case scenario related to perinatal loss. Students read the scenario and write appropriate therapeutic communication responses, followed by group discussion and instructor feedback. The focus is on reflection and theoretical integration.

Interventions

High-Fidelity Simulation-Based Therapeutic Communication Training

This intervention involves a structured, high-fidelity simulation scenario in a clinical skills lab setting using mannequins and standardized patients. The scenario focuses on communication with a patient experiencing perinatal loss. The session includes pre-briefing, simulation, and debriefing components.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Paper-Pencil Simulation-Based Therapeutic Communication Training

This intervention utilizes a written clinical case scenario related to perinatal loss. Students read the scenario and write appropriate therapeutic communication responses, followed by group discussion and instructor feedback. The focus is on reflection and theoretical integration.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Completion of the theoretical course on postpartum care in the Women's Health and Diseases Nursing course.
• Successful completion of the Human Behavior and Communication course.
• Completion of training on perinatal grief and therapeutic communication skills prior to the simulation training.

Exclusion Criteria

• Medical or Psychological Conditions Impacting Communication
• Incomplete Training or Lack of Pre-Simulation Education
• Inability to Participate in the Debriefing Session
• Language Barriers

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 24 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

Acibadem University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Merve Coskun

Assistant professor

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

Merve Coşkun

Ataşehir, Istanbul, Turkey (Türkiye)

Countries

Turkey (Türkiye)

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Other Identifiers

2025/05-188

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id