Simulation workshops with first year midwifery students

Promoting patient safety using electronic medical records in nursing/midwifery undergraduate curricula: Discussion paper

This discussion paper highlights the importance of Australian nursing and midwifery students' lack of exposure to electronic medical records during their undergraduate programs. There is pressure on universities offering nursing and midwifery programs to provide students with opportunities to learn to use patient electronic medical records. This will provide authentic rehearsal with the digital technology prior to clinical placements and increase graduate work readiness. Informed by contemporary literature, we describe the benefits of implementing electronic medical records (eMR) in health organisations and identify the challenges and barriers to implementing and integrating the education of electronic records into undergraduate nursing and midwifery programs. Undergraduate students who had not experienced eMR as part of on-campus learning felt unprepared and lacked confidence when commencing clinical practice. Some international nursing and midwifery programs have found that student's skills improve in decision-making and documenting patient observations when eMR is integrated into their university education program. Successful integration of an eMR program should consider academic/teaching staff skills and confidence in technology use, initial and ongoing costs and technical support required to deliver the program. In conclusion, Australian universities need to embed eMR learning experiences into the nursing and midwifery undergraduate curricula to increase students work-readiness with a focus on patient safety.

Effectiveness of the combination of workshops and flipped classroom model to improve tube fixation training for nursing students

BACKGROUND

Tube indwelling is a key procedure in modern medicine. Careful tube setup is necessary to prevent unplanned extubation. The training for tube fixation is time- and resource-consuming, and optimal modes of training are currently being sought. Previous studies have compared workshops and flipped classroom models separately using conventional teaching strategies, but no study has examined a combination of both teaching models in nursing training.

AIM

To compare the effectiveness of workshops vs workshops combined with the flipped classroom model for improving tube fixation training for nursing students.

METHODS

This was a prospective cohort study. In this study, 149 nurses who joined our hospital in 2019 underwent training using workshops combined with the flipped classroom model (experimental group), while 159 nurses who joined the hospital in 2018 received only workshop-based training (control group). The combination of workshops with the flipped classroom training model was divided into two modules: pre-class and in-class training. The participation of nurses in the training activities, on-site assessment of training, nurses’ evaluation of their training, and related indicators of tube quality management were evaluated.

RESULTS

The average age of nurses in the control group was 22.94 ± 0.94 years and that of nurses in the experimental group was 25.42 ± 3.23 years (P < 0.01). The qualified rate of after-class assessments for the experimental and control groups was 100.00% (average score: 94.01 ± 2.78 points) and 91.82% (average score: 84.24 ± 2.94 points), respectively (P < 0.01). Most nurses in the experimental group completely agreed that the combined training was helpful to cultivate clinical thinking and independent learning ability and to master knowledge of tube fixation. In addition, the training content within the pre-class teaching video, pre-class tube atlas, pre-class main instructor guidance, in-class demonstration, and in-class practice was very informative. The experimental group had higher evaluation scores than the control group (4.88 ± 0.38 vs 4.67 ± 0.64; P < 0.01). Comparison of tube quality management before and after training in 2018 to 2019 revealed that the unplanned ureteral tube removal rate dropped from 0.25‰ to 0.06‰, the unplanned chest tube removal rate dropped from 1.07‰ to 0.78‰, and the unplanned gastric tube removal rate dropped from 0.36‰ to 0.17‰. The incidence rate of pressure ulcers caused by the tube decreased from 0.78‰ to 0.45‰.

CONCLUSION

The combination of workshop and flipped classroom training is effective in improving tube fixation training of nurses, cultivating nurses’ active learning abilities and clinical thinking, and improving the safety of the procedure.

Effect of simulation training on students' childbirth skills and satisfaction in Turkey

This study examined the effects of simulation training on student midwives' management skills for normal childbirth and their satisfaction. This study utilized a quantitative, quasi-experimental, comparison group research design. Students were placed into two groups according to the last digit of their school identity number (odd versus even), given by The Directorate of Student Affairs. Lots were drawn to decide which simulation model the odd and even numbers would represent. One group received simulation training for normal birth skills using a low-fidelity pelvic model (n = 37) while the other group used a high-fidelity computer-based mannequin (n = 38). After the skills training, each student midwife managed the second and third stages of a simulated normal childbirth. The skill checklists were used to evaluate the students' second and third stage labor midwifery skills. After the simulation activity, the Students' Satisfaction and Self-confidence Scale was used to measure their levels of satisfaction with the simulation activity and their self-confidence in learning. There were no significant differences between the groups in terms of childbirth management skills and satisfaction in learning (p > 0.05). Thus, both methods can be recommended for simulation training of student midwives.

Radiography Students' Learning of Plain X-Ray Examinations in Simulation Laboratory Exercises: An Ethnographic Research

INTRODUCTION

In addition to lessons and clinical training, simulation-based learning has become more ubiquitous in radiography students' learning. Plain examinations are in the core of radiography, and studying how students learn them in simulation is therefore essential when considering students' professional development. The purpose of this study was to describe radiography students' learning to perform plain X-ray examinations in simulation laboratory exercises. The aim was to understand how the students learned.

METHODS

The data were gathered by observing and interviewing 17 radiography students as they performed laboratory exercises of plain X-ray examinations before clinical training. Learning was understood according to social constructivism and was examined from the perspective of interpretive ethnography. Data were analyzed using the constant comparative method.

RESULTS

In simulation laboratory exercises, radiography students learned by model-based experimentation. Learning consisted of imaging bone and chest examinations of a manikin, evaluation of the images, and patient positioning and guidance among students. The learning method was collaborative learning. Three learning outcomes were found: simulation promoted theory-practice connection, simulation guided the students to follow instructions, and simulation strengthened collaboration between students. The factors supporting and impeding learning were the same: academic studies before the simulation and learning tasks. In addition, experimentation without teacher's supervision was an impeding factor for some students.

CONCLUSION

Simulation laboratory exercises with a manikin proved to be a useful learning method for radiography students in learning to perform plain X-ray examinations. The results indicated the need to pay attention to simulation pedagogy and students' academic skills.

Midwifery Student Evaluation of Practice: The MidSTEP tool - Perceptions of clinical learning experiences

BACKGROUND

Little emphasis has been given to the standardised measurement of midwifery students' perceptions of their clinical learning experiences.

AIM

To develop a tool that evaluates students' perceptions of their clinical learning experiences according to environment and impact of preceptors on professional development.

METHODS

A cross-sectional design was used. Tool development had three phases: item generation; expert review to assess clarity, apparent internal consistency and content validity; and psychometric testing. All Bachelor of Midwifery students at one university in Australia were invited to complete the online survey. Psychometric testing included dimensionality, internal consistency and test-retest reliability.

RESULTS

A 74% (n=279) response rate was achieved. Factor analysis revealed the Clinical Learning Environment Scale and Impact of the Midwifery Preceptor Scale accounting for 53.6% and 71.5% of variance respectively. Both scales were reliable (Cronbach's alpha=.92 and .94) and valid. Overall, students positively rated the clinical learning environment and preceptors' abilities to foster their sense of identity as a midwife. Students were less satisfied with preceptors' understanding of the academic program.

DISCUSSION

The new tool consists of two scales that reliably measure midwifery students' perceptions of how the clinical learning environment develops their skills and reflects a midwifery philosophy. Preceptors had a positive influence on students' skills and professional development.

CONCLUSIONS

The Midwifery Student Evaluation of Practice tool is the first valid and reliable measure of students' perceptions of their clinical learning experiences. Students' feedback provides valuable information to educators and preceptors on how best to optimise clinical learning.

Evaluation of the effectiveness of four different training techniques in the development of non-stress testing application skills: A randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND

A range of teaching methods are employed to upgrade students' skills, lower anxiety levels and improve satisfaction in nursing and midwifery education.

AIM

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of different training techniques on the development of students' non-stress test (NST) application skills, satisfaction with education and reduction of their anxiety levels.

METHOD

The study was designed as a single-blind randomised controlled trial and carried out in four groups (n = 82), namely, video demonstration (VD), simulation with birth model (SBM), hybrid simulation (HS) and control (CG). A student information form, the NST skills evaluation form and the Spielberger State Anxiety Inventory were used to collect the study data.

RESULTS

Satisfaction with education was higher in the HS and SBM groups compared to the CG and VD groups (p < 0.001). No differences were found between the groups in terms of students' anxiety levels (p > 0.05). While there were no differences between the groups in the preparation phase in terms of NST skill scores (p > 0.05), the differences between the groups in the application and evaluation stages of the procedure were significant (p < 0.001). The highest score regarding the total score medians of NST skills belonged to the HS group, and the differences between the groups were found to be statistically significant (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The findings of this study indicated that simulation techniques enhanced the students' clinical practice skills and satisfaction with their education.

Cultural empathy in midwifery students: Assessment of an education program

BACKGROUND

The ability of midwives to provide empathic care that is culturally appropriate is critical for women to feel accepted by the midwives who support them. Australia is a culturally diverse society, yet there is evidence of poorer maternity outcomes for some women and infants, related to their cultural background.

OBJECTIVES

This study's objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of an education program for student midwives. The program was intended to increase the cultural empathy of future midwives, to help ensure greater cultural safety and optimal maternity outcomes across all sections of Australian society.

DESIGN

This quantitative study compared pre- and post-intervention measures of students' empathy.

SETTING

The health faculty of a large urban university in Australia.

PARTICIPANTS

Fifty-five students from all three years of an undergraduate midwifery program participated.

METHODS

The study examined students' scores on the Jefferson Scale of Empathy for health profession students, measured before and immediately after the education program, and again after four weeks.

RESULTS

The midwifery students had a high mean baseline score on the empathy scale. Scores increased significantly after the education program. Students with lower pre-test scores recorded significantly greater increases in their empathy levels than those who were more empathic initially. Empathy scores declined one month after the program, but remained higher than baseline levels.

CONCLUSIONS

Several studies have explored empathy levels amongst current and future health professionals. However, few studies of health professional students have evaluated the impact of specific education interventions addressing cultural empathy. This study found that midwifery students tended to have higher empathy scores than students in other health disciplines. The education workshop further increased participants' scores.