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NCT Number: NCT06413394

Virtual Reality, Empathy and Environmental Ethics.

Environmental ethics is a sub-branch of ethics that determines moral values and principles towards the environment. It is the common responsibility of all humanity to improve and protect the environment/nature and to hand it over to the next generations. For this reason, every segment of society should have environmental ethics awareness. Empathy is an important concept in raising awareness of environmental ethics. It is stated that the awareness of environmental ethics is also developed in people who have developed empathy skills. For this reason, it is recommended to create training programs that enable people to develop their empathy skills. The formation and establishment of environmental ethics awareness in people can prevent the occurrence of environmental problems. This can be achieved by providing an effective environmental education. Technological developments such as virtual reality can be used in environmental education. Virtual reality technologies are called empathy machines as they create a sense of presence in users. For this reason, the perception of presence in virtual reality and being included in the narrative are effective in developing empathy in the person. It is stated that the perspectives acquired in virtual reality develop empathy and encourage behaviors in favor of society in a few weeks. Virtual reality technologies are useful for us researchers, both in terms of developing empathy towards environmental problems and creating awareness of environmental ethics as an educational tool. For this reason, in this study, the effect of virtual reality supported environmental education on nurses' empathy and environmental ethics awareness levels was tried to be examined with a quasi-experimental research.

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Key information

Conditions

Virtual Reality

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

Ardahan Devlet Hastanesi

Ardahan, Centrium, 75000, Turkey (Türkiye)

About this study

RESEARCH DESIGN This research is a three-arm randomized controlled experimental study conducted prospectively to compare the effect of virtual reality-supported environmental education on nurses' environmental ethics approaches and empathy levels.

LOCATION AND CHARACTERISTICS OF THE STUDY This research was conducted at a State Hospital located in a province in the Eastern Anatolia Region between 01.10.2022 and 31.04.2023. The hospital consists of primary adult intensive care, secondary adult intensive care, secondary neonatal intensive care, six-bedded wards, operating theatre service, emergency department, palliative care unit, dialysis unit, and outpatient care service. The working hours of the hospital are organized in two shifts, 08.00-16.00 and 16.00-08.00, or 24 hours (full day).

POPULATION AND SAMPLE SELECTION The research was conducted with 91 nurses who volunteered to participate from among 101 nurses working at a State Hospital in a province in the Eastern Anatolia Region between 01.10.2022 and 31.04.2023. The total sample size was calculated as 90 (n=90) using G-POWER program with .4 (Cohen) effect size, 92% power, and .05 error margin based on percentage measurement values of the methods to be studied obtained from literature review (Faul et al., 2007). Considering possible losses, 33 nurses were planned to be included in each group, and randomization was performed over 91 nurses. None of the nurses included in the study met the exclusion criteria, and the study was concluded with 91 nurses.

Inclusion criteria

for the Sample

  • Being a nurse working at the relevant State Hospital
  • Volunteering to participate in the research
  • Not having received virtual reality-supported environmental education before

Exclusion criteria

for the Sample

  • Not being a nurse working at the relevant State Hospital
  • Not volunteering to participate in the research
  • Having received virtual reality-supported environmental education before

Criteria for Withdrawal from the Sample

  • Being absent at any time during the research process
  • Not completing the environmental education

Dependent and Independent Variables of the Study The main independent variable of the study is virtual reality-supported environmental education. Other sub-variables are data obtained through the "Nurse Introduction Form" and the "Empathy Level Determination Scale." The dependent variable of the study is data obtained through the "Environmental Ethics Approaches Scale."

FORMS AND SCALES USED IN DATA EVALUATION The "Nurse Introduction Form," "Empathy Level Determination Scale," and "Environmental Ethics Approaches Scale" were used in the study

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

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

Inclusion criteria

  • Nurses working in ardahan state hospital

Exclusion criteria

  • Nurses not working in ardahan state hospital

Treatment and study plan

environmental education

Other

environmental education

Primary outcomes

  1. Scale for Environmental Ethics Approaches

    Time frame: 15/11/2022-31/12/2022

    Scale for environmental ethics approaches pre-test

  2. Scale for Environmental Ethics Approaches

    Time frame: 16/02/2023-28/03/2023

    Scale for environmental ethics approaches post-test

  3. Adaptation of Empathy Quotient (EQ) Scale

    Time frame: 15/11/2022-31/12/2022

    Adaptation of Empathy Quotient (EQ) Scale pre-test

  4. Adaptation of Empathy Quotient (EQ) Scale

    Time frame: 16/02/2023-28/03/2023

    Adaptation of Empathy Quotient (EQ) Scale post-test

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Ardahan University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

The Effect of Virtual Reality Supported Environmental Ethics Approaches Education on Nurse's Empathy and Environmental Ethics Awareness Levels

Important dates

Study start
2022
Primary completion
2023
Study completion
2023
First posted
May 14, 2024
Registry last updated
May 21, 2024

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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