Pre-training of suturing skills among midwifery students improves preparedness for training in practice

Background: Danish midwifery programmes train students to work independently within normal labour and birth. Though midwifery students have substantial training to work as midwives when they graduate, they still lack competences in suturing independently. Consequently, more experienced midwives need to supervise, which is time consuming in busy labour wards. Learning packages have shown to improve suturing skills among postgraduate midwives but knowledge on student training is sparse. We aimed at gaining knowledge on how workshops in suturing skills in the theoretical part of education prepare students for practice learning.
Methods: Students were taught theoretical insight in basic suturing skills, followed by three workshops, in which they got equipment to train at home between the workshops. Students wrote LOG-books on when, and how much they trained during the period. In the end of every workshop, they were tested using peer testing and peer feedback. We conducted two focus group interviews; one after training during the theoretical module, and one after practicing initial skills in practice.
Findings: Preliminary findings showed that students trained approximately three hours between the workshops, and improved their competences in basic suturing skills. They were very engaged in their skills training and felt prepared for suturing in a clinical setting. They felt confident in managing the equipment and performing three different knots. After practicing initial skills in clinical practice, they felt that the workshops had helped them to start suturing immediately and to feel confident and “professional” while suturing in the labour ward.
Conclusion: We need to gain more knowledge how students train and how they transfer knowledge after training in a simulated learning/lab setting. Results and conclusions from the focus group interviews will be presented, including suggestions on how to support an effective transfer of knowledge from theoretical to clinical modules.