Effects of Clinical Practice and Simulation-Based Practice for Obstetrical Nursing.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Medical Simulation
• Obstetrics

Background:

• Clinical practice is a cornerstone of nursing education, providing hands-on experience.
• Simulation-based practice offers a controlled environment for skill development in obstetrics.
• Evaluating the impact of different learning modalities on student outcomes is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the effects of clinical practice versus simulation-based practice in obstetrical nursing.
• To assess differences in self-efficacy, practice satisfaction, and practice stress between the two methods.

Main Methods:

• A non-equivalent control group post-test design involved 171 junior nursing students.
• The experimental group (n=103) underwent two days of simulation-based practice.
• The control group (n=68) completed two weeks of traditional clinical practice in a delivery room.

Main Results:

• The simulation-based practice group reported significantly higher self-efficacy (p=.043).
• Students in the simulation group also showed greater practice satisfaction (p<.001).
• The experimental group experienced higher levels of practice stress (p=.003) compared to the control group.

Conclusions:

• Simulation-based practice is an effective educational method for obstetrical nursing.
• It can serve as a viable alternative or supplement to traditional clinical placements.
• Stress management interventions should be integrated into simulation-based obstetrical nursing programs.