Validation of a Simulation-Based Resuscitation Curriculum for Maternal Cardiac Arrest.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Emergency Medicine
• Obstetrics

Background:

• Maternal medical emergencies and cardiac arrest require specialized management skills.
• Simulation-based training is a valuable tool for healthcare education.
• Existing training may not adequately prepare all healthcare professionals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a simulation-based blended learning curriculum.
• To assess improvements in knowledge, skills, and self-efficacy for managing maternal medical emergencies.
• To specifically evaluate the Obstetric Life Support (OLS) program.

Main Methods:

• A blended learning approach combining self-guided pre-course work and instructor-led simulation.
• Utilized a customized low-fidelity simulator for training.
• Assessed participants using cognitive tests, self-efficacy questionnaires, and Megacode assessments.

Main Results:

• Significant improvement in cognitive assessment scores post-training (69.4% to 82.4%).
• High Megacode pass rate (96.1%) with average scores of 90.7%.
• Substantial improvements in participant self-efficacy and agreement that educational objectives were met.

Conclusions:

• Simulation-based blended learning effectively enhances knowledge, skills, and self-efficacy in managing maternal cardiac arrest.
• The Obstetric Life Support program successfully prepared participants for maternal medical emergencies.
• Low-fidelity simulation is a viable tool for improving obstetric emergency response.