Basic Trauma Training Programme for Newly Graduated Nurses in Saudi Trauma Centres

This is a two-site, non-equivalent comparison-group quasi-experimental study using a pre-test/post-test design. Allocation is non-random and determined by intake cohort within each participating site: an earlier intake of eligible newly graduated nurses forms the comparator group, and a subsequent intake forms the intervention group, so that study arm is not confounded with site.

The intervention, Basic Trauma Training (BTT), is a structured two-day (14 contact-hour) educational programme developed in alignment with Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS) Specialised Professional Programme accreditation standards. It comprises five modules: trauma systems and primary survey principles; advanced trauma assessment and clinical reasoning; critical trauma interventions and patient safety; interprofessional communication and team leadership; and psychological preparedness, peer support and self-care. Delivery combines didactic teaching, high-fidelity simulation using the PEARLS debriefing framework, and facilitated reflective discussion. The comparator condition is standard institutional orientation (approximately five days of general clinical induction without trauma-specific structured training). Comparator-arm participants are offered BTT, with the same continuing professional development credit, after their follow-up assessment (waitlist design).

Individual-level randomisation was not adopted due to contamination risk between nurses working on the same unit, and because staffing and rostering decisions are governed by institutional service demand rather than research allocation. Contamination is managed through scheduling separation, controlled distribution of training materials, and a two-item contamination check at follow-up.

The primary outcome is workforce sustainability, a formative composite index of four equally weighted, standardised components: job satisfaction (MOAQ-JSS), work engagement (UWES-9), personal burnout (CBI-PB, reverse scored), and retention intention. The primary analysis is a linear mixed-effects model with a time-by-arm interaction term, adjusting for site, prior trauma exposure, months since graduation, and delivery block. Secondary outcomes include the four composite components analysed individually, role transition stress (Rizzo Role Ambiguity and Role Conflict scales), trauma-care self-efficacy, general self-efficacy (GSE-10), and actual workforce retention from institutional HR records at 6 and 12 months. An exploratory mediation analysis examines whether role transition stress and self-efficacy mediate the effect of BTT on workforce sustainability.

The study is reported in accordance with the SPIRIT 2025 statement for trial protocols and the TREND statement for non-randomised intervention evaluations, with intervention reporting following the TIDieR checklist.

Inclusion criteria

• Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS) licensure
• Less than 12 months of post-licensure clinical experience at baseline
• Current direct patient-facing employment in a trauma-related intensive care unit at King Saud Medical City or Northern Medical Tower
• Willing and able to provide written informed consent

Exclusion criteria

• More than 12 months of post-licensure clinical experience
• Employment outside trauma-related ICU settings
• Agency or temporary staffing status
• Extended leave during the intervention or data-collection period
• Prior formal trauma-specific training (ATCN, TNCC) before enrolment