Simulation Based-Learning from Simple to Complicated Clinical Situations for Midwifery Students

A health professional's learning curriculum should lead to the acquisition of technical and non-technical skills. This study aims at demonstrating the impact of simulation-based learning (SBL) experience on the learning of midwifery students.

Using an experimental design, the experimental group (n=14) received pretest, high fidelity simulation, then a post-test. Whereas the control group (n=14) received pretest, revision of the theoretical course instead of simulation, post-test 1, high fidelity simulation, then a post-test 2. The first scenario was about a normal childbirth when the midwifery students were in their 2nd year. And then the second one was about immediate postpartum hemorrhage when the students moved to their 3rd year.

During the simulation sessions, the experimental group had a higher mean score in the post-test than the control group. This indicated that the simulation significantly (p<0.001) increased the students' knowledge. Also, for both eutocic and dystocic delivery simulation experiments, students obtained higher score in the second simulation sessions (19.69 and 19.4 for eutocic and dystocic, respectively) than in the first session (11.23 and 9.12 for eutocic and dystocic, respectively; p<0.0001).

These findings confirm that SBL offers an opportunity for learners to be immersed in an environment that is closer to reality, thus improving learning in a safe environment.