Self-Efficacy Change With Low-Tech, High-Fidelity Obstetric Simulation Training for Midwives and Nurses in Mexico

BackgroundThis prospective descriptive study examined the relationship between low-tech, high-fidelity simulation–based training and pre- and posttraining changes in participant self-efficacy (SE).MethodA 3-week training was followed by a 2-day session 4 months later in Cuernavaca, Mexico. Midwives and obstetrical nurses either participated in or observed 41 scenarios during a clinical update in emergency obstetric skills.ResultsSE increased significantly. It decreased at 4 months posttraining but remained higher than pretraining levels.ConclusionThe training positively affected participants' perceived readiness for the technical, behavioral, and cognitive dimensions of obstetric emergencies. After simulation training, participants faced the critical, high-pressure, and often abusive “real world” in clinical sites, which may explain the drop in SE scoresr.