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Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Psychological First Aid Training for Community Nurses in China: A Quasi‐Experimental Study on Knowledge and Skills Enhancement

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: AIM: To evaluate the effectiveness of the training program on PFA knowledge, attitudes, and skills at three time points: T0 (before the intervention), T1 (immediately after the intervention), and T2 (2 months after the intervention). DESIGN: A quasi-experimental pre- and post-test design was adopted, and the effectiveness was compared with the intervention and control groups. This study followed TREND guidelines. METHODS: 100 community nurses were non-randomly assigned to the experimental (n = 50) and control (n = 50) groups. A 4-h PFA training program was conducted, and the contents were adapted from the WHO guidelines. Data were collected at three time points (T0, T1, T2) using self-reported questionnaires. The statistical analysis involved descriptive statistical methods (median, interquartile range, frequencies), and the Mann-Whitney U test for between-group comparisons. RESULTS: At baseline, no significant differences were observed between the two groups. Comparative analysis revealed that the intervention group had significantly higher overall PFA competence (p < 0.001, r = 0.42), PFA knowledge (p < 0.001, r = 0.42), and skills scores (p < 0.001, r = 0.38) at T1, with sustained knowledge scores at T2 (p = 0.033, r = 0.22). However, there was no significant difference in attitudes scores between the two groups at T1 and T2. CONCLUSIONS: The study demonstrated that PFA training was effective in improving community nurses' capabilities to provide psychological support. The findings underscore the importance of integrating PFA training into standard nursing practice to enhance mental health care in community settings. Future research should focus on long-term impacts and explore the integration of PFA into standard nursing practice to further bolster mental health support in China. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: No patient or public contribution.

Source: Nursing Open

DOI: 10.1002/nop2.70497

Authors: Yazhou He, Yulan Ding, Jiaqin Yan, Xiaoning Xiong, Shan Huang, Sijian Li