Effect of E-learning Training on National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and Modified Rankin Scale (mRS) Assessment

NCT07318376 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: NIHSS-6
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 120
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The goal of this web-based randomized clinical trial is to evaluate whether an e-learning training program improves the accuracy of National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and modified Rankin Scale (mRS) assessments among practicing paramedics in French-speaking Switzerland who have not previously received formal training in these scales. The main questions it aims to answer are:

• Does e-learning training improve performance on a standardized NIHSS assessment quiz compared with no prior training?
• Does e-learning training improve the accuracy of mRS assessment using case-based clinical vignettes compared with no prior training? Researchers will compare paramedics who complete the NIHSS and mRS e-learning modules before assessment (intervention group) with paramedics who complete the assessments without prior training (control group) to determine whether e-learning training leads to higher assessment performance scores. Participants will:
• Provide electronic informed consent via a secure web-based platform
• Be randomly assigned to either the intervention group or the control group
• Complete either the e-learning modules before assessment or the assessments before training, depending on group allocation
• Complete an online NIHSS quiz and mRS case-based vignettes
• Receive access to the NIHSS and mRS e-learning modules by the end of the study

Conditions

Stroke Assessment; Modified Rankin Scale; Education; Distance Learning-Online Learning; National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale; Clinical Competence

Keywords

E-learning; Web-based training; Stroke assessment; National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS); Modified Rankin Scale (mRS); Paramedics; Emergency Medical Services; Prehospital care; Clinical competence; Educational intervention; Randomized controlled trial; Performance assessment; Distance education; Continuing professional education

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Performance on a NIHSS 50-item quiz

  The primary outcome will be the performance on a NIHSS 50-item quiz consisting in 3 full assessments of a patient (3x15 items) plus 5 general questions (each question scores 1 point if correct, maximum total of 50 points).

  From enrollment to the end of the study path in a timeframe of maximum 4 weeks.

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Performance of mRS assessment

  From enrollment to the end of the study path in a timeframe of maximum 4 weeks.

Study Arms (2)

Control group

NO INTERVENTION

Control group: Participants will first complete the NIHSS quiz and mRS case vignettes without prior training.

Intervention group

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants will follow the e-learning modules (NIHSS and mRS).

Other: Educational intervention

Interventions

Educational intervention OTHER

Educational intervention by the mean of an e-learning modules (NIHSS and mRS).

Intervention group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Holding a paramedic title (recognized in Switzerland)
• Currently actively practicing in Switzerland
• Fluent in French (all study material will be provided in French)

You may not qualify if:

• Previously completed formal training on either the NIHSS or the mRS.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Stuby Loric: lead
• University Hospital, Geneva: collaborator
• Geneve TEAM Ambulances: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Genève TEAM Ambulances

Geneva, Canton of Geneva, 1201, Switzerland

Location

MeSH Terms

Interventions

Early Intervention, Educational

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Child Health Services; Community Health Services; Health Services; Health Care Facilities Workforce and Services; Preventive Health Services

Study Officials

• Loric Stuby

  Genève TEAM Ambulances

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Loric Stuby

CONTACT

+41228001212; l.stuby@gt-ambulances.ch

Laurent Suppan

CONTACT

laurent.suppan@hug.ch

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: INVESTIGATOR, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Principal Investigator

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: December 23, 2025
• First Posted: January 6, 2026
• Study Start: April 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): July 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): July 1, 2026
• Last Updated: January 7, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-01

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share

Locations

CH (1)