The effects of a maternal nursing competency reinforcement program on nursing students’ problem-solving ability, emotional intelligence, self-directed learning ability, and maternal nursing performance in Korea: a randomized controlled trial

• Published in: Korean journal of women health nursing Vol. 27; no. 3; pp. 230 - 242
• Main Authors: Kim, Sun-Hee, Lee, Bo Gyeong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Korean
• Published: 한국여성건강간호학회 30-09-2021
• Subjects: Emotional intelligence; Maternal-child nursing; Problem solving; Self-directed learning as topic; Students; Problem solving; Self-directed learning as topic; Students; Emotional intelligence; Maternal-child nursing
• ISSN: 2287-1640; 2093-7695

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop a maternal nursing competency reinforcement program for nursing students and assess the program’s effectiveness in Korea.
Methods: The maternal nursing competency reinforcement program was developed following the ADDIE model. This study employed an explanatory sequential mixed methods design that applied a non-blinded, randomized controlled trial with nursing students (28 experimental, 33 control) followed by open-ended interviews with a subset (n=7). Data were analyzed by both qualitative and quantitative analysis methods.
Results: Repeated measures analysis of variance showed that significant differences according to group and time in maternal nursing performance; assessment of and intervention in postpartum uterine involution and vaginal discharge (F=24.04, p<.001), assessment of and intervention in amniotic membrane rupture (F=36.39, p<.001), assessment of and intervention in delivery process through vaginal examination (F=32.42, p<.001), and nursing care of patients undergoing induced labor (F=48.03, p<.001). Group and time improvements were also noted for problem-solving ability (F=9.73, p<.001) and emotional intelligence (F=4.32, p=.016). There were significant differences between groups in self-directed learning ability (F=13.09, p=.001), but not over time. The three main categories derived from content analysis include “learning with a colleague by simulation promotes self-reflection and learning,” “improvement in maternal nursing knowledge and performance by learning various countermeasures,” and “learning of emotionally supportive care, but being insufficient.”
Conclusion: The maternal nursing competency reinforcement program can be effectively utilized to improve maternal nursing performance, problem-solving ability, and emotional intelligence for nursing students.