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NCT Number: NCT07677527

Efficacy of Vicarious Post-Traumatic Growth Intervention for Nurses in Emergency Units

This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the efficacy of a Vicarious Post-Traumatic Growth (VPTG) Intervention among nurses working in emergency units. Emergency nurses are frequently exposed to traumatic events through patient care, which may contribute to vicarious trauma and psychological distress. The intervention is designed to facilitate positive psychological growth, resilience, adaptive coping, and psychological well-being while reducing the adverse impact of indirect trauma exposure. Participants will be randomly assigned to intervention and control groups. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline, post-intervention, and follow-up periods to determine the effectiveness of the intervention in promoting vicarious post-traumatic growth and reducing vicarious trauma among emergency nurses.

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Key information

Conditions

Vicarious Trauma Behavior Behavioral Symptoms Compassion Fatigue Fatigue Mental Fatigue Occupational Stress Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Personal Satisfaction Post-Traumatic Growth, Psychological Psychological Distress Psychological Well-Being Signs and Symptoms Stress, Psychological

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Nishtar Hospital, Burn Unit (NMH), Multan Institute of Cardiology (MIC), Bakhtawar Amin Hospital, Multan, Khawaja Fareed Social Security Hospital

Multan, 59070, Pakistan

Location status: Recruiting

Location contact

SEERAT FATIMA

CONTACT

[email protected]

03066605577

About this study

Emergency nurses regularly encounter critically ill, injured, and dying patients, exposing them to repeated indirect traumatic experiences. Such exposure can lead to vicarious trauma, emotional exhaustion, and psychological distress. However, exposure to trauma may also contribute to positive psychological changes referred to as vicarious post-traumatic growth.

This study evaluates the efficacy of a structured Vicarious Post-Traumatic Growth Intervention developed specifically for nurses working in emergency units. The intervention integrates psychoeducation, cognitive behavioral techniques, mindfulness practices, resilience enhancement strategies, emotional regulation skills, stress management techniques, and peer support activities.

A randomized controlled trial design will be employed. Eligible nurses will be randomly assigned to either an intervention group or a control group. Participants will complete baseline assessments before intervention implementation. Outcome measures will be reassessed immediately after completion of the intervention and during follow-up assessments.

Primary outcomes include reduction in vicarious trauma and enhancement of vicarious post-traumatic growth. Secondary outcomes include resilience, coping strategies, psychological well-being, and occupational functioning. Findings may contribute to the development of evidence-based psychological support programs for nurses working in high-stress healthcare settings.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Registered nurses currently employed in emergency departments.
  • Minimum six months of emergency department work experience.
  • Able to read and understand English or Urdu.
  • Willing to provide informed consent.
  • Available to participate throughout intervention and follow-up assessments.

Exclusion criteria

  • Current diagnosis of severe psychiatric disorder requiring intensive treatment.
  • Current participation in trauma-focused psychotherapy.
  • Cognitive impairment affecting study participation.
  • Planned transfer from emergency unit during study period.
  • Refusal to provide informed consent.

Treatment and study plan

Psychoeducational Vicarious Post-Traumatic Growth Intervention

Behavioral

A structured psychoeducational and behavioral intervention designed to promote vicarious post-traumatic growth and reduce vicarious trauma among emergency nurses. The intervention incorporates cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques, mindfulness practices, resilience-building exercises, psychoeducation regarding vicarious trauma, stress management strategies, reflective activities, and peer-support components. The program is delivered in scheduled sessions over the intervention period and aims to enhance coping skills, psychological well-being, professional functioning, and post-traumatic growth.

Primary outcomes

  1. Change in Vicarious Posttraumatic Growth Score

    Time frame: Baseline (Week 0), Post-intervention (Week 8), 3-month follow-up (Week 20), 6-month follow-up (Week 32)

    This outcome measures change in vicarious posttraumatic growth among emergency unit nurses exposed to the intervention. Vicarious posttraumatic growth will be assessed using the Vicarious Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (VPTGI; Deaton, 2020), a self-report questionnaire.

    The total score will be calculated by summing item responses. Higher scores indicate greater vicarious posttraumatic growth (better psychological outcome).

Secondary outcomes

  1. Change in Vicarious Trauma Score

    Time frame: Baseline (Week 0), Post-intervention (Week 8), 3-month follow-up (Week 20), 6-month follow-up (Week 32)

    This outcome measures vicarious trauma symptoms among emergency nurses. The Vicarious Trauma Scale (VTS; Vrklevski & Franklin, 2008) will be used. The total score is obtained by summing item responses. Higher scores indicate greater vicarious trauma (worse psychological outcome).

  2. Change in Resilience Score

    Time frame: Baseline (Week 0), Post-intervention (Week 8), 3-month follow-up (Week 20), 6-month follow-up (Week 32)

    Resilience will be assessed using the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS), which measures the ability to recover from stress. Scores are calculated as the mean of all items. Higher scores indicate greater resilience (better outcome).

  3. Change in Coping Strategies

    Time frame: Baseline (Week 0), Post-intervention (Week 8), 3-month follow-up (Week 20), 6-month follow-up (Week 32)

    Coping strategies will be assessed using the CSI-SF, measuring both adaptive and maladaptive coping styles. Scores will be reported as subscale and total scores. Higher adaptive coping scores indicate better coping outcomes.

  4. Change in Psychological Well-being

    Time frame: Baseline (Week 0), Post-intervention (Week 8), 3-month follow-up (Week 20), 6-month follow-up (Week 32)

    Psychological well-being will be assessed using the 18-item Psychological Well-being Scale. Total scores will be computed by summing item responses. Higher scores indicate better psychological well-being.

Other outcomes

  1. Personality Traits

    Time frame: Baseline only (Week 0)

    Personality traits (Big Five dimensions) will be assessed using the Ten-Item Personality Inventory (TIPI). Scores will be calculated for each trait dimension. This measure will be used as a baseline covariate and moderator, not as an intervention outcome.

  2. Intervention Adherence

    Time frame: Throughout intervention period (Weeks 1-8)

    Measured as the percentage of attended intervention sessions (CBT, mindfulness, psychoeducation, peer support).

    Reported as percentage (%) of completed sessions per participant.

  3. Intervention Fidelity

    Time frame: During intervention delivery (Weeks 1-8)

    Assessed using a structured fidelity checklist completed by supervisors to ensure protocol adherence.

    Reported as percentage of protocol components delivered correctly.

  4. Attrition Rate

    Time frame: Post-intervention (Week 8), 3-month follow-up (Week 20), 6-month follow-up (Week 32)

    Number and percentage of participants who drop out of the study at each assessment point.

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

SEERAT FATIMA

CONTACT

[email protected]

+923066605577

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Fatima Jinnah Women University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Efficacy of Vicarious Post-Traumatic Growth Intervention for Nurses in Emergency Units: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Acronym: VPTG-RCT

Important dates

Study start
2026
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
Jun 30, 2026
Registry last updated
Jul 7, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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