Efficacy of Obstetric Simulation in the Learning of Skills Related to Birthing Care in Medical Students, Medellin-Colombia

Abstract

Introduction: In Colombia, studies regarding the effectiveness of simulation-based medical training programmes are scarce. Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a simulationbased obstetric educational intervention in the learning of skills related to birthing care in medical students in Medellin (Colombia). Methods: A randomized experimental study of 28 students who received the intervention and 21 students who did not receive the intervention and served as the control group. A scale was constructed and psychometrically evaluated to measure competencies in three domains, Being, Knowing, and Doing, in birthing care; this scale was applied before and after the intervention, generating a rating between 0 (poorest) and 100 (best). The effectiveness of the educational intervention was evaluated using differences-indifferences and linear regression analysis. Results: The scale showed excellent psychometric properties in the domains of knowing and doing, with Cronbach’s α-value greater than 0.80; furthermore, 100% success in internal consistency, discriminant power, and content validity added to the high explained variance. The intervention did not generate significant changes in the competency in the being domain and was effective in improving competencies in the Knowing and Doing domains, with increases of 23.9 and 27.2 points, respectively. Conclusion: The simulation-based birth-related skills learning programme was effective in increasing the competencies of knowing and doing in medical students.