Learning together to manage simulated postpartum haemorrhage: undergraduate midwifery and medical students’ satisfaction with simulation and impact upon self-efficacy

Background: Post-partum haemorrhage (PPH) occurs in up to 15% of births in Australia and remains the leading cause of maternal death globally. Simulation training for qualified interprofessional teams is linked to better health outcomes leading to improved patient safety. We explored the benefits of interprofessional simulation for undergraduate midwifery and medical students collaborating to manage a postpartum haemorrhage. This quantitative aspect of the research project focused specifically on the development of clinical knowledge, self-efficacy and satisfaction with simulation when caring for the deteriorating woman.

Methods: Ethical approval was received from the University HERC. A scenario of a woman having a primary postpartum haemorrhage immediately after birth was developed. Midwifery and medical students were required to work collaboratively to manage a simulation of the deteriorating woman. Participants were recruited from two courses, Bachelor of Nursing Bachelor of Midwifery and Bachelor of Medicine Bachelor of Surgery. Quantitative data were collected using self-reporting questionnaires over three repeated measures. Pre and post simulation questionnaires comprised two previously validated tools, Self-Efficacy Beliefs in Interprofessional Learning (SEBIL) and Satisfaction with Simulation Experience Survey (SSES). Purpose-developed multiple-choice questions measured students’ clinical knowledge. Using IBM SPSS V25, data analysis included descriptive statistics, repeated Wilcox Signed Rank Test and chi-square. Statistical significance was set at α = .05.

Results: 44 students with a median age of 21.5 years participated in eight simulations. 43 completed all phases. Differences were found between SEBIL sub-scales (‘Interprofessional Interaction’ and ‘Interprofessional Team Evaluation and Feedback’) and the SSES subscale ‘Debrief and Reflection’ pre and post simulation (p < 0.0001). There was no evidence of a difference in clinical knowledge. Students scored a mean of 12 correct responses to the 15 MCQs at each measure.

Conclusion: Although students’ knowledge was adequate and did not change, their self-efficacy improved, suggesting that simulation may benefit them in future.