'Paediatric Emergency Course' for nursing continuing professional development programme evaluation: ARCS Motivational Design Model.

Abstract

Background: Paediatric emergency and critical care require skilled nurses, but they often face a lack of motivation during continuing professional development. Motivation-based, engaging activities in training programmes are essential to sustain interest and improve learning outcomes in these high-stress environments.

Aim: This study aims to develop, implement and evaluate the effectiveness of a Paediatric Emergency Course (PEC) using the ARCS (Attention, Relevance, Confidence, Satisfaction) Motivational Design Model to equip nurses with the knowledge and skills needed to manage paediatric patients in emergency and critical care settings.

Study design: The study employed a quasi-experimental pretest/post-test design. The PEC was conducted from 1 June to 31 December 2023, with the participation of 57 nurses working in emergency and critical care units. To evaluate the programme's effectiveness, a paired t-test was used for pre-test and post-test comparisons, and logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine the factors affecting course success (lecture test activities and motivational tactics).

Results: Pre-lecture assessments averaged 9.55, significantly increasing to 16.88 post-lecture (out of 22), indicating a substantial improvement in knowledge after the lecture series (t = -20.26, df = 55, p < .001; 95% CI [-8.05, -6.60]). Similarly, pre-course scores rose from 7.21 to 17.14 post-course (out of 25), reflecting significant gains in overall understanding and competency (t = -20.83, df = 56, p < .001; 95% CI [-10.89, -8.97]). Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that a one-unit increase in post-lecture test scores increased the likelihood of course success by 22.5%, with an odds ratio of 1.225 (B = .203, SE = 0.092, p = .028; 95% CI [1.023, 1.468]). Additionally, motivational design significantly influenced course success, increasing the likelihood by 433.3%, with an odds ratio of 5.333 (B = 1.674, SE = 0.363, p < .001; 95% CI [3.134, 9.074]).

Conclusion: The PEC continuing education programme, developed using the ARCS Motivational Design Model to support the professional development of nurses in emergency and critical care, was successfully implemented. These results suggest that both knowledge acquisition and motivational factors play a substantial role in enhancing course success among participants. Significant improvements in pre- and post-test results, along with high scores on the motivational design scale, demonstrated the effectiveness of the programme.

Relevance to clinical practice: The use of motivation-enhancing tactics and strategies in training has led to successful outcomes, demonstrating that structured programmes designed with these methods can significantly improve the clinical competencies, expertise, decision-making and patient safety of nurses working in paediatric emergency and critical care services in high-pressure environments.