The impact of online synchronous versus asynchronous classes on nursing students' knowledge and ability to make legal and ethical decisions

Background: Educating nursing students on laws and ethics is essential since the nursing profession requires providing services that have many legal and ethical implications. Objectives: The goal of this study was to measure the effectiveness of two teaching strategies (providing online synchronous classes versus asynchronous classes) on nursing students' knowledge of legal and ethical issues and their ability to make legal and ethical decisions. Design: This study used a randomized control trial (RCT) design. Sample and setting: A total of 127 students from two governmental universities in Jordan participated in and completed the current study. The students were randomly assigned either to the experimental group which received the synchronous classes (n = 60, 47.2%) or the control group which received asynchronous classes (n = 67, 52.8%). Method: The two study groups were given a pre-test to measure their knowledge and ability to make legal and ethical decisions. After the pre-test, an online synchronous educational class about legal and ethical issues in nursing was carried out by the same educator twice a week and lasted for approximately 1.5 h each. At the same time, the students in the control group were provided with the same material but as asynchronous classes and were encouraged to watch the classes during the lecture. After completing the educational classes, both groups were asked to complete the post-test questionnaire. Results: The results indicated significant outcomes in terms of increasing the knowledge and the ability to make an ethical decision of students who attended the educational classes. However, the synchronous and asynchronous classes did not result in significant differences in students' learning outcomes. Conclusion: Educating nursing students about legal and ethical issues in the nursing profession is important to prepare them to make legal and ethical decisions. In addition, using different teaching strategies is quite important in educating nursing students.