Advances in Medical Education and Practice (Dec 2021)
COVID-19’s Negative Impacts on Clinical Learning and Proposed Compensation Mechanisms Among Undergraduate Midwifery and Nursing Students of Jimma University
Abstract
Kebenesa Angasu,1 Tariku Bekela,1 Melkamu Gelan,1 Diriba Wakjira,1 Eneyew Melkamu,1 Berhanu Belachew,1 Tujuba Diribsa,1,2 Abdulwahid Awol Ahmed,1– 3 Abdisa Eba,1– 3 Kenenisa Tadesse,1– 4 Bekele Boche1– 5 1Department of Midwifery, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia; 2Department of Reproductive Health, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia; 3Department of Nursing, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia; 4Department of Statistics, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia; 5Department of Pharmacy, Jimma University, Jimma, EthiopiaCorrespondence: Kebenesa Angasu Tel +251919841766Email [email protected]: Even though lockdown measures contributed to reducing the rate of COVID-19 transmission, it resulted in great distraction in clinical learning. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess COVID-19’s negative impacts on clinical learning, and proposed compensation mechanisms among midwifery and nursing undergraduate students of Jimma University, southwest Ethiopia.Methods: This study was conducted among 147 midwifery and nursing students of Jimma University in March 2021 using cross-sectional study design. The respondents were selected by simple random sampling method. Data were collected by using a self-administered questionnaire and analyzed descriptively by SPSS v.23. The results were presented in tables, and narrated.Results: Three fifths (88 (59.9%)) of the study participants perceived high negative impacts of COVID-19 on their recent clinical learning. The proposed compensation mechanisms to be implemented before and during the next clinical practice include: using teacher-facilitated skill demonstration laboratory, case scenarios, clinical teaching videos, and clinical conferences. Students’ effort to understand the objectives of their clinical learning and using multi-media to achieve it was another proposed compensation mechanism. Also, providing pre-placement training and in-service training with priority for students graduating during COVID-19 pandemic were proposed compensation mechanisms.Conclusion: COVID-19’s negative impacts on clinical learning were great among the participants of this study. The proposed compensation mechanisms should be applied by all concerned bodies with great emphasis to end the long-term negative impact of the pandemic, thereby ensuring the production of competent midwives and nurses.Keywords: Covid-19’s negative impacts, compensation mechanisms, clinical learning, Jimma University
