Effectiveness of a Theory- and Web-Based Adaptive Implementation Intervention on Nurses’ and Nursing Students’ Intentions to Provide Brief Counseling: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND: Brief counseling can motivate patients to initiate health behavior change. However, increasing the provision of brief counseling by nurses is difficult due to contextual and practitioner-level factors impeding nurses’ motivation and intentions to provide brief counseling (eg, unfavorable attitude toward brief counseling, lack of perceived control linked to barriers). Theory-based implementation interventions could address these practitioner-level factors and support evidence-based practice in the context of brief counseling. Web-based, adaptive e-learning (electronic learning) programs are a novel type of implementation intervention that could address the limitations of current brief counseling training programs, such as accessibility and personalization. OBJECTIVE: This paper presents a study protocol for evaluating the effectiveness of the E_MOTIV(A) implementation intervention—a theory- and web-based adaptive e-learning program—to increase nurses’ and nursing students’ intentions to provide brief counseling for smoking, an unbalanced diet, and medication nonadherence. METHODS: A two-group, single-blind, randomized controlled trial will be conducted with nurses and nursing students enrolled in a Bachelor of Science in Nursing program in Quebec, Canada. Participants in the experimental group will be allocated to the E_MOTIV(A) intervention—a theory- and web-based adaptive e-learning program—while participants in the active control group will be allocated to the E_MOTIV(B) intervention, a knowledge- and web-based standardized e-learning program. The E_MOTIV(A) intervention was designed to influence the constructs of the Theory of Planned Behavior (eg, attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control) in the context of brief counseling. The Cognitive Load Index and User Engagement Scale will be used to assess participants’ cognitive load and engagement related to e-learning. Participants will complete the Brief Counseling Nursing Practices Questionnaire–Abridged Version at baseline and follow-up. All study measures will be completed online. RESULTS: The study is ongoing. The results of the study will provide answers to the primary hypothesis (H1) that experimental group participants will demonstrate a greater change in the score of intentions to provide brief counseling between baseline (–T1) and follow-up (T4). Secondary hypotheses include greater improvements in scores of attitude (H2), subjective norms (H3), perceived control (H4), behavioral beliefs (H5), normative beliefs (H6), and control beliefs (H7) regarding brief counseling in the experimental group between baseline and follow-up. We also anticipate lower intrinsic and extrinsic cognitive loads (H8, H9), higher germane cognitive load (H10), and higher engagement (H11, H12) in the experimental group. CONCLUSIONS: This study will be among the first in evaluating a novel type of implementation intervention, a theory- and web-based adaptive e-learning program, in nurses and nursing students. This type of intervention has the potential to support evidence-based practice through accessible, personalized training in wide-ranging domains in nursing. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN Registry ISRCTN32603572; http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN32603572 INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): PRR1-10.2196/18894