title: Care-givers' reflections on an ethics education immersive simulation care experience: A series of epiphanous events.
abstract: There has been little previous scholarship regarding the aims, options and impact of ethics education on residential care-givers. This manuscript details findings from a pragmatic cluster trial evaluating the impact of three different approaches to ethics education. The focus of the article is on one of the interventions, an immersive simulation experience. The simulation experience required residential care-givers to assume the profile of elderly care-recipients for a 24-hr period. The care-givers were student nurses. The project was reviewed favourably by a university ethics committee, and participants provided informed consent. Data from six postsimulation experience focus groups were analysed thematically and three themes were identified: the experience of vulnerability, dignity in care and the organisation of care. Findings suggest that the immersive simulation experience had a powerful immediate impact as participants described epiphanous insights relating to their care experiences. It is suggested that reflecting on and recording epiphanous events has the potential to sustain ethical care practices. Further research is required to evaluate the impact of different ethics education interventions in different cultural contexts. Exploration is also required regarding the meaning and significance of care epiphanies, those "most delicate and evanescent of moments," for the sustainability of ethical care.
authors.affiliation: International Care Ethics (ICE) Observatory, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, School of Health Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK.
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gallagher
authors.affiliation: International Care Ethics (ICE) Observatory, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, School of Health Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK.
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Peacock
authors.affiliation: International Care Ethics (ICE) Observatory, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, School of Health Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK.
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zasada
authors.affiliation: University of Humanistic Studies, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Trees
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Coucke
authors.affiliation: International Care Ethics (ICE) Observatory, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, School of Health Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cox
authors.affiliation: sTimul, Moorsele, Belgium.
authors.forename: Nele
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Janssens
mesh_terms: D017028:Caregivers / Q000193:education* / Q000941:ethics / Q000523:psychology; D004645:Empathy; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D016544:Patient Simulation; D028723:Personhood; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D035862:Vulnerable Populations / Q000523:psychology
keywords: RIPE Project; care epiphanies; care-givers; care-recipients; ethics education; immersive simulation