Development and assessment of a training program for improving midwives' knowledge and perceptions of family role acquisition in the perinatal period

Abstract

Purpose

This study aimed to develop and assessment of a training program for improving midwives' knowledge and perceptions of family role acquisition in the perinatal period.

Subjects and Methods

We executed a blended training program with online e-learning course and intensive training on methods of support for a group of midwives working at a department of obstetrics. We adopted ADDIE model for the program and designed it over previous studies and needs analysis. The survey is quasi-experimental study based on convenience sampling. We conducted a before-and-after evaluation study for the training program with measuring knowledge and perceptions of family role acquisition in the perinatal period.

Results

For the recruited 25 midwives, the number of years of experience as a midwife was less than 10 years for seven midwives (28.0%) and 10 years or longer for 18 midwives (72.0%). In terms of knowledge and perceptions of support for families, understanding necessity of support for families (p=.02) increased significantly after the training program and incapable to support families in pregnancy while knowing the necessity (p<.001) not understanding families' needs (p=.02) and unclear about specific types of care for families (p=.04) decreased significantly after the training program.

Conclusions

The results demonstrated that this program was useful in enabling midwives to acquire knowledge on support of families and improves their perceptions of the necessity of the support regarding family role acquisition in the perinatal period.