Midwifery legal education using scenario-based learning: Effects on moral sensitivity and reasoning

This study aimed to assess the effect of scenario-based learning (SBL) in legal midwifery education to enhance moral sensitivity and reasoning among midwifery students.

The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SOTL) was conducted at Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences between 2021 and 2022. A census sampling method was employed, enrolling 66 midwifery students. The intervention consisted of scenario-based learning, and outcomes were evaluated through pre- and post-intervention assessments of moral sensitivity and reasoning skills. Academic performance was measured using a key feature (KF) exam of students Moral judgment, and student satisfaction was also assessed. Data were analyzed using descriptive-analytical methods in IBM SPSS (version 18), with statistical significance set at *P < 0.05.

The findings demonstrated a significant improvement in both clinical reasoning and moral sensitivity (P< 0.001). In the first year, clinical reasoning scores increased from 2.17 ± 0.48 to 4.17 ± 0.65, while in the second year, they rose from 2.22 ± 0.50 to 4.19 ± 0.60. Moral sensitivity scores also improved, increasing from 5.04 ± 1.25 to 5.82 ± 0.87 in the first year and from 4.9 ± 1.34 to 5.93 ± 0.76 in the second year. Additionally, student satisfaction and KF exam scores were at desirable levels.

Scenario-based learning effectively enhanced moral reasoning and sensitivity in midwifery students. The findings suggest that SBL is a valuable pedagogical approach for addressing legal issues in midwifery education and improving students' professional competence.