The Effects of Simulation Training on Perineal Repair among Midwifery Students: A Quasi-Experiment Study

Abstract

Abstract Background The increase in cesarean deliveries as well as the decrease in normal deliveries and episiotomies in midwifery practice has reduced the experience of midwifery students in perineum repair. This study examined the effect of perineal repair simulation training on the clinical skills of midwifery students by designing, implementing and evaluating simulation models in procedural education.Methods This quasi-experimental study was conducted on 60 midwifery students in intervention and control groups at Shoushtar, Iran, from September 2018 to August 2021. The intervention group participants received simulation training, while the control group participants took part in workplace-based training. These students' perineal repair skills were assessed in the 5th and 6th semesters. Students' skills were assessed in the real clinical environment using an observational examination. Data were analyzed using independent t-test, chi-square test, and analysis of variance (ANOVA) in SPSS software. All p-values < 0.05 were considered statistically significant.Results The mean score of perineal repair skill in the control group was 41.52 ± 3.33 and in the simulation training group was 49.73 ± 6.83. The difference in the skill score between the groups was statistically significant (8.21 ± 1.16) (p < 0.001). The results showed that, in the intervention group, 25 (83.33%) students were at a good to an excellent level, while in the control group 21 (70.00%) students were at an average skill level, and the rest were at a low level (p < 0.001).Conclusions The results of the present study indicated that the simulation for critical skills such as perineal repair skills was significantly more effective than workplace-based learning situations.