The Future of Healthcare-Simulation-Based Learning Curricula and Preparing Future Midwives for Effective...

Area of Science:

• Health Professions Education
• Digital Health
• Midwifery Care

Background:

• Telehealth is integral to modern healthcare delivery.
• Simulation-based learning (SBL) is increasingly used in health professions education.
• Rapport-building in virtual patient interactions presents unique challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore student and clinical educator experiences with SBL for midwifery telehealth.
• To identify factors influencing preparedness for telehealth practice.
• To understand rapport-building in simulated midwifery telehealth scenarios.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative descriptive exploratory design.
• Reflexive thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews.
• Purposeful sampling of midwifery educators and graduates.

Main Results:

• Identified themes: concept understanding, educator training, learner experiences, and clinical translation.
• Disparate telehealth definitions and inconsistent scenario quality impacted learning.
• Lack of practice opportunities in placements and roles hindered skill development.

Conclusions:

• Improvement needed in standardized telehealth definitions and educator training.
• Focused scenario development and digital rapport-building skills are crucial.
• Enhanced SBL and clinical placements are vital for telehealth preparedness.