The effects of child health nursing curriculum-integrated therapeutic activities on therapeutic communication skills of nursing students: non-randomized study

Abstract

Background: Effective therapeutic communication with hospitalized children is increasingly recognized as crucial for child-centered care in all healthcare settings. The quantity and quality of training nurses receive to promote and enhance nurse-child communication are vital. This study aims to evaluate the impact of planned therapeutic communication activities for the Child Health Nursing Course on the therapeutic communication skills of nursing students. Method: A non-randomized study with a pre-test and post-test design was conducted with 28 junior nursing students in Turkey. Data were collected using an 'Information Form' and the 'Therapeutic Communication Skills Scale for Nursing Students'. The Child Health Nursing Course curriculum incorporated lectures with various activity designs to enhance students' therapeutic communication skills. Results: The curriculum-integrated therapeutic activities significantly decreased non-therapeutic communication skills in students, with a large effect size [d: 0.827, 95% CI: (0.393)-(1.296)]. Furthermore, the activities led to a significant increase in Therapeutic Communication Skills-1 with a large effect size [d: -0.943, 95% CI: (-1.416) (-0.513)], and improved Therapeutic Communication Skills-2 with a large effect size [d: -1.285, 95% CI: (-1.827) - (-0.804)]. Conclusion: The findings indicate that therapeutic activities effectively improved the therapeutic communication skills of nursing students. Practice implications: Integrating therapeutic activities into the Child Health Nursing Course curriculum is recommended to enhance nursing students' therapeutic communication skills.