Nursing Students' Perception of Electroconvulsive Therapy: Impact of Instruction with an Electroconvulsive Therapy Videotape

There has been little study of attitudes toward and knowledge of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Likewise, there have been no studies of how accurate information about ECT may be communicated. The authors studied the attitudes and opinions toward ECT of thirty-five nursing students before they had received any formal instruction on its use. The same subjects then viewed a didactic videotape explaining and demonstrating ECT. There were significant improvements in overall knowledge and positive opinions of ECT after this educational exposure.