Effects of a Web-Based Educational Program Regarding Physical Restraint Reduction in Long-Term Care Settings on Nursing Students: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial

Physical restraint is still frequently used in many countries. However, a lack of education hinders physical restraint reduction in long-term care facilities. No study has yet to examine the effects of physical restraint reduction education on nursing students. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a web-based educational program of physical restraint reduction on nursing students' knowledge and perceptions. A cluster randomized controlled and single-blind design was used. This study was conducted at four nursing schools in South Korea. A total of 169 undergraduate nursing students completed this study. Using random allocation, two nursing schools (85 students) were allocated as the experimental group and the other two schools (84 students) as the control group. The experimental group received the web-based educational program, and the control group did not receive the educational program. Data were collected immediately before and after the web-based educational program. The experimental group's knowledge and perceptions significantly improved between pre-test and post-test. The analysis of covariance showed statistically significant differences between groups in knowledge (p < 0.001) and perceptions (p < 0.001) over time, revealing positive effects of the web-based educational program. The web-based educational program regarding physical restraint reduction positively affected nursing students' knowledge and perceptions. Future studies are required to examine the educational program's longitudinal effects with more rigorous measurements and research methods.