Developing and testing a mobile application for imparting knowledge: the positive birth experience guideline to midwifery students.

BACKGROUND

Given the importance of the care provided during labour and childbirth and its impact on the childbirth experience, as well as the fact that proper training of midwives can improve the quality of care, this study aims to design World Health Organization guideline for positive childbirth experience in the form of a mobile application (Phase One) and examine its effectiveness in imparting knowledge among midwifery students (Phase Two).

METHODS

This study employed a research and development methodology. In the initial phase, the "Positive Birth Experience Application" was designed based on the WHO recommendations for the intrapartum period. The second phase utilized a one-group pretest-posttest design. After one month of using the application, 30 midwifery students from Tabriz University of Medical Sciences in Tabriz, Iran completed knowledge (posttest) and evaluation questionnaires. The data was analyzed using SPSS Version 24 software. A Paired Samples T-test was conducted to assess the students' knowledge before and after the intervention.

RESULTS

The results of the pilot study showed a statistically significant difference (P < 0.001) in the mean knowledge scores of the students regarding the WHO guideline before and after the intervention. After the intervention, the students had higher knowledge scores compared to before using the application [(Mean Difference = 4.75; (95% Confidence Interval = 3.56 to 5.93)]. The analysis for the evaluation of the application indicated that the highest mean (SD = Standard Deviation) scores were observed for the information quality and system quality subscales, which were 50.7 (8.03) and 47.9 (11.6), respectively. In contrast, the lowest mean (SD) scores were associated with the service quality and user satisfaction subscales, which were 23.9 (7.43) and 25.6 (6.62), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The positive birth experience application can be used as an educational method to increase students' knowledge of the recommendations of the WHO regarding intrapartum care. The evaluation of this application by the students demonstrated that it can provide valuable and high-quality information related to intrapartum care, thus enhancing their knowledge in this area.