Comparing the Effect of Traditional, Web based and Simulation Training on Midwifery Student's Clinical Competence in Postpartum Hemorrhage Management

Background and Postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) is the most important cause of maternal death. Improving clinical competence could increase the quality of midwives’ works and decrease maternal death. This study was done to compare the effect of traditional, web based and simulation training on clinical competencies of midwifery students in PPH management. This semi-experimental study was performed in 91 midwifery students in Mashhad School of Nursing and Midwifery, 2013. The samples were randomly divided into three groups of web-based, simulation and traditional training using table of random numbers. The web-based group was trained on-line for one week, through educational web site. The students in simulation-based group were trained in Clinical Skills Centre for four hours and the traditional group was trained for 4 hours by lecture and PowerPoint presentation. Students’ clinical competencies were measured before and one week after the intervention by a questionnaire and objective structured clinical exam. Data was analyzed by descriptive statistical test, paired t-test, and ANOVA. No significant difference was found between the three groups in clinical competence to manage PPH before the intervention (P>0.326). One week after training, the mean score for students’ clinical competence showed significant increase in all groups (P<0.001). The intergroup comparison indicated no significant difference between the groups in clinical competence one week after the intervention (P=0.128). All three methods were found to be similarly effective in improving clinical competence to manage PPH.