The Impact of Virtual-Based Education on Nurse's Self-Efficacy in the Level II Neonatal Care

Self-efficacy has an influence on nurses’ professional progress, motivation, effort, perseverance, and time spent by learners on learning. It is also an interface between knowledge and practice. This study aimed to assess the impact of virtual-based education on self-efficacy of nurses in level II neonatal intensive care.
In this quasi-experimental study, after determining the sample size (n = 80), nurses working in level II neonatal care unit of hospitals affiliated to TUMS were randomly divided into two groups. The study was conducted in 2015. Nurses’ self-efficacy level was measured in the two groups by using Coates self-efficacy questionnaire on the first day of the study. For the intervention group, education content of level II neonatal care was developed and run on Namad system of the virtual faculty of TUMS for two months. No specific intervention was performed for the control group. At the end of the education course, nurses’ psychological empowerment was reassessed in both groups by using the mentioned questionnaire. Data analysis was performed by using the paired t-test, Fisher exact test, chi-square, and independent t-test in SPSS 23.
Research units were similar in terms of all demographic variables other than work experience in neonatal unit. Mean and standard deviation of self-efficacy scores in the control and intervention groups before the intervention were 129.7 ± 13.973 and 118.05 ± 11.104, respectively, while mean and standard deviation of the two groups after the intervention were 128.09 ± 12.363 and 136.11 ± 9.830, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference in the mean score of self-efficacy between the two groups before the intervention P ≤ 0.001), self-efficacy mean score in the control group before and after the intervention (P = 0.002), self-efficacy mean score in the intervention group before and after the intervention (P ≤ 0.001), and self-efficacy mean score between the two groups after the intervention (P ≤ 0.004).
The results of the present study indicate the effectiveness of virtual education in increased self- efficacy of nurses in level II neonatal intensive care unit. With regard to the advantages of virtual education, it can be employed as a modern educational method to provide necessary requirements and tools for training nurses and other healthcare givers.