Spiritual CareSCEN-RCTNCT07427667
Spiritual Care Training Methods in Nursing Students: A Randomized Study
A study testing Spiritual Care Education in people with Spiritual Care, run by Recep Tayyip Erdogan University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
Trial summary
Study Title Spiritual Care Education in Nursing Students: A Comparison of Lecture-Based and Jigsaw (Collaborative Learning) Methods Why was this study conducted? In nursing, "holistic care" involves recognizing and supporting not only physical but also emotional and spiritual needs. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Spiritual Care
- What is being tested?
- Spiritual Care Education
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 93 participants
- Where
- 1 siteTurkey (Türkiye)
- Study dates
- 30 Apr 2025to 30 Nov 2025
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
None listed.
Who cannot join
- Students who did not provide informed consent.
- Students who previously received formal education/training on spiritual care.
- Students who were not active nursing students during the data collection period.
- Students with incomplete post-test or retention-test data.
- -
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
Turkey (Türkiye)1 site
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University, Faculty of Health Sciences
Rize, 53000
About this study
Official title: Effects of Two Spiritual Care Training Methods (Lecture and Jigsaw Technique) on Nursing Students' Perceptions and Frequency of Spiritual Care Practices: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Study Title
Spiritual Care Education in Nursing Students: A Comparison of Lecture-Based and Jigsaw (Collaborative Learning) Methods
Read more
Why was this study conducted?
In nursing, "holistic care" involves recognizing and supporting not only physical but also emotional and spiritual needs. However, nursing students may not always learn enough about how to apply spiritual care in the clinic. This study was conducted to understand whether two different training methods affect students' perspectives on spiritual care and the frequency of their spiritual care practice.
Who participated in the study?
Fourth-year students studying in the nursing department of a university in Turkey participated. A total of 90 students completed the study:
Lecture-based group: 30 people
Jigsaw group: 31 people
Control group (no training): 29 people
Students were providing patient care in the clinic for approximately 24 hours a week during their internship.
What was done in this study?
Students were divided into three groups using a lottery method.
Spiritual care training was given to the lecture group via presentation in the classroom (2 sessions, each approximately 40-45 minutes).
In the Jigsaw group, the same content was covered in small groups, with students learning by teaching each other (2 sessions, each approximately 40-45 minutes).
The control group did not receive training during the study (they were also given training after the study ended).
Measurements were taken three times:
Before training (pre-test)
15 days after training (post-test)
1 month after training (retention test)
What was measured?
Perception of spirituality and spiritual care
Frequency of spiritual care practice (how often the student has engaged in spiritual care interventions recently)
Nursing care plans prepared by the students (rated out of 100 points)
In the Jigsaw group, students' opinions on the method were also measured (Jigsaw opinion scale)
What were the findings of the study?
Perception of Spiritual Care :
Students who received both direct instruction and Jigsaw training showed increased scores after the training.
The highest increase was observed in the Jigsaw group.
This increase continued after 1 month (persistence).
Frequency of Spiritual Care Practice :
No significant difference was found among the three groups.
In other words, the training did not significantly increase the frequency with which students said they "practiced spiritual care" in the short term.
Care Plan Scores:
There was no significant difference between the groups (although the average of the Jigsaw group appeared higher, there was no statistically significant difference).
Student opinions about Jigsaw:
Approximately 48%-77% of students rated the Jigsaw method as "more effective" in various items.
In open-ended responses, students found aspects such as information sharing, discussion, and participation positive.
What do these findings mean?
This study shows that students' perception of spiritual care can be further developed when it is addressed in the classroom not only through lectures but also through interactive methods. However, "increased perception" may not automatically mean "more frequent clinical practice" in the short term. Practicing spiritual care likely requires a clinical setting, guidance/mentoring, time, and practice.
Safety/Were there any risks?
Since this study was educational, no medical risks/side effects were expected for the participants. Students participated voluntarily and could leave at any time.
Ethical approval and confidentiality
Permission was obtained from the university's ethics committee for the study (09/04/2025 - E.2025/147). Students were informed and provided written consent. Data was kept confidential.
Funding
The study was supported by the Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University Development Foundation (02026002004083).
Conclusion
Both lecture-based and Jigsaw training increased students' perception of spiritual care; Jigsaw had a stronger effect. In contrast, no significant short-term change was observed in the frequency of spiritual care practice. It is recommended that spiritual care training be strengthened with practice-based and longer-term support to facilitate its translation into clinical practice.
Read the detailed description
This study is a three-arm randomized controlled trial designed to evaluate the effects of two different educational approaches for spiritual care training on final-year undergraduate nursing students. Although spiritual care is widely recognized as a core component of holistic nursing practice, undergraduate nursing education often remains limited in providing structured and practice-oriented learning opportunities that facilitate the translation of spiritual care knowledge into clinical practice. Therefore, this study compares a traditional didactic lecture approach with an interactive, collaborative learning method (Jigsaw technique), using a control group for comparison.
Eligible participants are fourth-year nursing students enrolled at a Faculty of Health Sciences in Türkiye. Fourth-year students were selected because they actively participate in patient care during their internship placements for approximately 24 hours per week, which provides an appropriate context for evaluating both perceptions and practice-related outcomes.
Participants are allocated into three parallel groups using simple randomization: (1) didactic lecture group, (2) Jigsaw technique group, and (3) control group. The educational intervention is delivered in two sessions, each lasting approximately 40-45 minutes, conducted outside regular class hours and scheduled at times convenient for students. Both intervention groups receive the same core content, developed based on current literature and reviewed by experts prior to implementation. The control group receives no training during the study period; however, after completion of data collection, students in the control group are offered lecture-based training to ensure educational fairness.
In the didactic lecture group, the content is delivered through PowerPoint-based presentations in a classroom setting. In the Jigsaw group, students are divided into small groups and learn the same content through structured peer teaching. The content is divided into four subtopics: (1) basic concepts of spirituality and spiritual care and nursing theorists' perspectives; (2) spiritual care within the nursing process and nursing diagnoses related to spiritual care; (3) spiritual care interventions; and (4) development and evaluation of nursing care plans. Students first work in main groups, then form expert groups according to assigned subtopics, and finally return to their main groups to teach their peers and complete group discussions.
Outcome assessments are conducted at three time points: baseline (pre-test), 15 days after completion of the intervention (post-test), and one month after the intervention (retention test). The primary outcome is nursing students' perceptions of spirituality and spiritual care. Secondary outcomes include the frequency of spiritual care therapeutics, nursing care plan performance scores, and (in the Jigsaw group) student evaluations of the Jigsaw learning method.
In addition to self-report scales, students' nursing care plans prepared during clinical internships are evaluated using a standardized 100-point scoring system based on the nursing process stages. Care plan evaluation includes assessment components related to spiritual care, identification of relevant nursing diagnoses, formulation of goals and expected outcomes, planning of nursing interventions, documentation, and evaluation of care outcomes.
Data are analyzed using appropriate parametric statistical methods. Baseline comparability of groups is examined using chi-square tests for categorical variables and one-way ANOVA for continuous variables. Changes in outcome measures across time and between groups are assessed using repeated measures ANOVA and one-way ANOVA, and post hoc comparisons are performed using the LSD test. Statistical significance is set at p < 0.05.
- Conditions
- Spiritual Care
- Being tested
- Spiritual Care Education
- Keywords
- Spiritual care, nursing students, collaborative learning
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Spiritual Care EducationBehavioural
A literature-based spiritual care education program delivered in two classroom sessions using PowerPoint presentations. Each session lasted approximately 40-45 minutes and covered spirituality concepts, spiritual care in nursing, spiritual care interventions, and integration into the nursing process.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Didactic Lecture Group | Experimental | Participants received literature-based spiritual care education delivered as two classroom lecture sessions using PowerPoint presentations. Each session lasted approximately 40-45 minutes. Receives: Behavioral: Spiritual Care Education |
| Jigsaw Technique Group | Experimental | Participants received the same spiritual care content in two sessions using the Jigsaw cooperative learning technique. Students worked in small groups, formed expert groups by subtopic, and then returned to teach their peers. Each session lasted approximately 40-45 minutes. Receives: Behavioral: Spiritual Care Education |
| Control Group (No Training) | No intervention | Participants did not receive spiritual care training during the study period. They completed the same assessments at comparable time points. After data collection, lecture-based training was offered for educational fairness. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Perception of Spirituality and Spiritual Care
This outcome measures nursing students' perceptions of spirituality and spiritual care using the Spirituality and Spiritual Care Rating Scale. Higher scores indicate more positive perceptions.
Measured: Baseline (pre-test), 15 days post-intervention (post-test), and 1 month post-intervention (retention test).
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted23 Feb 2026
- Study start30 Apr 2025
- Primary completion30 Aug 2025
- Study completion30 Nov 2025
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Spiritual CareStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- Three-arm parallel-group randomized controlled trial (lecture, Jigsaw technique, and control) with pre-test, post-test, and 1-month retention assessment.
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 93 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Recep Tayyip Erdogan University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Seda Dere Isseven, Recep Tayyip Erdogan University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07427667
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 09/04/2025-E. 2025/147
- Other IDs
- 02026002004083
- Acronym
- SCEN-RCT
- Status last verified
- Feb 2026
- First submitted
- 14 Feb 2026
- Last updated
- 23 Feb 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: Individual participant data will not be shared to protect participant confidentiality and in accordance with ethical approval and informed consent restrictions.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 23 Feb 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Effects of Two Spiritual Care Training Methods (Lecture and Jigsaw Technique) on Nursing Students' Perceptions and Frequency of Spiritual Care Practices: A Randomized Controlled Trial
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07427667
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- SCEN-RCT / 09/04/2025-E. 2025/147
- Conditions
- Spiritual Care
- Keywords
- Spiritual care, nursing students, collaborative learning
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 93 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Recep Tayyip Erdogan UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 30 Apr 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 30 Aug 2025 (actual)
- Study completion
- 30 Nov 2025 (actual)
- First posted
- 23 Feb 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Study Title
Spiritual Care Education in Nursing Students: A Comparison of Lecture-Based and Jigsaw (Collaborative Learning) Methods
Why was this study conducted?
In nursing, "holistic care" involves recognizing and supporting not only physical but also emotional and spiritual needs. However, nursing students may not always learn enough about how to apply spiritual care in the clinic. This study was conducted to understand whether two different training methods affect students' perspectives on spiritual care and the frequency of their spiritual care practice.
Who participated in the study?
Fourth-year students studying in the nursing department of a university in Turkey participated. A total of 90 students completed the study:
Lecture-based group: 30 people
Jigsaw group: 31 people
Control group (no training): 29 people
Students were providing patient care in the clinic for approximately 24 hours a week during their internship.
What was done in this study?
Students were divided into three groups using a lottery method.
Spiritual care training was given to the lecture group via presentation in the classroom (2 sessions, each approximately 40-45 minutes).
In the Jigsaw group, the same content was covered in small groups, with students learning by teaching each other (2 sessions, each approximately 40-45 minutes).
The control group did not receive training during the study (they were also given training after the study ended).
Measurements were taken three times:
Before training (pre-test)
15 days after training (post-test)
1 month after training (retention test)
What was measured?
Perception of spirituality and spiritual care
Frequency of spiritual care practice (how often the student has engaged in spiritual care interventions recently)
Nursing care plans prepared by the students (rated out of 100 points)
In the Jigsaw group, students' opinions on the method were also measured (Jigsaw opinion scale)
What were the findings of the study?
Perception of Spiritual Care :
Students who received both direct instruction and Jigsaw training showed increased scores after the training.
The highest increase was observed in the Jigsaw group.
This increase continued after 1 month (persistence).
Frequency of Spiritual Care Practice :
No significant difference was found among the three groups.
In other words, the training did not significantly increase the frequency with which students said they "practiced spiritual care" in the short term.
Care Plan Scores:
There was no significant difference between the groups (although the average of the Jigsaw group appeared higher, there was no statistically significant difference).
Student opinions about Jigsaw:
Approximately 48%-77% of students rated the Jigsaw method as "more effective" in various items.
In open-ended responses, students found aspects such as information sharing, discussion, and participation positive.
What do these findings mean?
This study shows that students' perception of spiritual care can be further developed when it is addressed in the classroom not only through lectures but also through interactive methods. However, "increased perception" may not automatically mean "more frequent clinical practice" in the short term. Practicing spiritual care likely requires a clinical setting, guidance/mentoring, time, and practice.
Safety/Were there any risks?
Since this study was educational, no medical risks/side effects were expected for the participants. Students participated voluntarily and could leave at any time.
Ethical approval and confidentiality
Permission was obtained from the university's ethics committee for the study (09/04/2025 - E.2025/147). Students were informed and provided written consent. Data was kept confidential.
Funding
The study was supported by the Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University Development Foundation (02026002004083).
Conclusion
Both lecture-based and Jigsaw training increased students' perception of spiritual care; Jigsaw had a stronger effect. In contrast, no significant short-term change was observed in the frequency of spiritual care practice. It is recommended that spiritual care training be strengthened with practice-based and longer-term support to facilitate its translation into clinical practice.
Detailed description
This study is a three-arm randomized controlled trial designed to evaluate the effects of two different educational approaches for spiritual care training on final-year undergraduate nursing students. Although spiritual care is widely recognized as a core component of holistic nursing practice, undergraduate nursing education often remains limited in providing structured and practice-oriented learning opportunities that facilitate the translation of spiritual care knowledge into clinical practice. Therefore, this study compares a traditional didactic lecture approach with an interactive, collaborative learning method (Jigsaw technique), using a control group for comparison.
Eligible participants are fourth-year nursing students enrolled at a Faculty of Health Sciences in Türkiye. Fourth-year students were selected because they actively participate in patient care during their internship placements for approximately 24 hours per week, which provides an appropriate context for evaluating both perceptions and practice-related outcomes.
Participants are allocated into three parallel groups using simple randomization: (1) didactic lecture group, (2) Jigsaw technique group, and (3) control group. The educational intervention is delivered in two sessions, each lasting approximately 40-45 minutes, conducted outside regular class hours and scheduled at times convenient for students. Both intervention groups receive the same core content, developed based on current literature and reviewed by experts prior to implementation. The control group receives no training during the study period; however, after completion of data collection, students in the control group are offered lecture-based training to ensure educational fairness.
In the didactic lecture group, the content is delivered through PowerPoint-based presentations in a classroom setting. In the Jigsaw group, students are divided into small groups and learn the same content through structured peer teaching. The content is divided into four subtopics: (1) basic concepts of spirituality and spiritual care and nursing theorists' perspectives; (2) spiritual care within the nursing process and nursing diagnoses related to spiritual care; (3) spiritual care interventions; and (4) development and evaluation of nursing care plans. Students first work in main groups, then form expert groups according to assigned subtopics, and finally return to their main groups to teach their peers and complete group discussions.
Outcome assessments are conducted at three time points: baseline (pre-test), 15 days after completion of the intervention (post-test), and one month after the intervention (retention test). The primary outcome is nursing students' perceptions of spirituality and spiritual care. Secondary outcomes include the frequency of spiritual care therapeutics, nursing care plan performance scores, and (in the Jigsaw group) student evaluations of the Jigsaw learning method.
In addition to self-report scales, students' nursing care plans prepared during clinical internships are evaluated using a standardized 100-point scoring system based on the nursing process stages. Care plan evaluation includes assessment components related to spiritual care, identification of relevant nursing diagnoses, formulation of goals and expected outcomes, planning of nursing interventions, documentation, and evaluation of care outcomes.
Data are analyzed using appropriate parametric statistical methods. Baseline comparability of groups is examined using chi-square tests for categorical variables and one-way ANOVA for continuous variables. Changes in outcome measures across time and between groups are assessed using repeated measures ANOVA and one-way ANOVA, and post hoc comparisons are performed using the LSD test. Statistical significance is set at p < 0.05.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 3
- Model description
- Three-arm parallel-group randomized controlled trial (lecture, Jigsaw technique, and control) with pre-test, post-test, and 1-month retention assessment.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Didactic Lecture Group | Experimental | Behavioral: Spiritual Care EducationParticipants received literature-based spiritual care education delivered as two classroom lecture sessions using PowerPoint presentations. Each session lasted approximately 40-45 minutes. |
| Jigsaw Technique Group | Experimental | Behavioral: Spiritual Care EducationParticipants received the same spiritual care content in two sessions using the Jigsaw cooperative learning technique. Students worked in small groups, formed expert groups by subtopic, and then returned to teach their peers. Each session lasted approximately 40-45 minutes. |
| Control Group (No Training) | No intervention | –Participants did not receive spiritual care training during the study period. They completed the same assessments at comparable time points. After data collection, lecture-based training was offered for educational fairness. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (0 listed)
Key exclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Students who did not provide informed consent.
- Students who previously received formal education/training on spiritual care.
- Students who were not active nursing students during the data collection period.
- Students with incomplete post-test or retention-test data.
- -
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Spiritual Care EducationA literature-based spiritual care education program delivered in two classroom sessions using PowerPoint presentations. Each session lasted approximately 40-45 minutes and covered spirituality concepts, spiritual care in nursing, spiritual care interventions, and integration into the nursing process. | Behavioural | Didactic Lecture Group, Jigsaw Technique Group |
Primary outcome
Perception of Spirituality and Spiritual Care
Time frame: Baseline (pre-test), 15 days post-intervention (post-test), and 1 month post-intervention (retention test).
This outcome measures nursing students' perceptions of spirituality and spiritual care using the Spirituality and Spiritual Care Rating Scale. Higher scores indicate more positive perceptions.
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 23 Feb 2026.
- Related InfoLink provided by the sponsor.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. Individual participant data will not be shared to protect participant confidentiality and in accordance with ethical approval and informed consent restrictions.
Related trials for Spiritual Care
Not yet recruiting
Curriculum Design and Effectiveness in Death and Spiritual Care
Death, Spiritual Care
Recruiting
A Chaplain-clinician Led Spiritual Care (PEACE) Intervention on Spiritual/Religious Beliefs Related to Medical Care in Patients With Advanced Cancer: a Pilot Clinical Trial
Spiritual Care, Advanced Cancer
Enrolling by invitation
The Effect of the Flipped Learning Model on Spiritual Care Perception and Competence in Nursing Students
Spiritual Care, Flipped Learning Model
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Spiritual Care Education in people with Spiritual Care, run by Recep Tayyip Erdogan University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 0 inclusion and 5 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 23 Feb 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye). Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Perception of Spirituality and Spiritual Care (time frame: Baseline (pre-test), 15 days post-intervention (post-test), and 1 month post-intervention (retention test).). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 23 Feb 2026; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 30 Oct 2026.