An Online Educational Intervention to Influence Medical and Nurse Practitioner Students’ Knowledge, Self-Efficacy, and Motivation for Antepartum Depression Screening and Education

Abstract

ObjectiveTo evaluate nurse practitioner and medical students’ knowledge, self-efficacy, and motivation for antepartum depression screening and education before and after an online educational intervention. DesignQuasi-experimental study design. Setting/Local ProblemThe University of South Florida, College of Nursing and College of Medicine. Historically, nursing and medical school curricula have a focus on postpartum depression. Testing nurse practitioner and medical students regarding maternal depression throughout pregnancy may give insight into curriculum preparedness. ParticipantsMedical and nurse practitioner students were recruited by convenience sampling. In total, 71 participants completed the study. There were 52 (73%) nurse practitioner students and 19 (27%) medical students. Intervention/MeasurementsParticipants used a self-directed learning activity in the form of a slide presentation on the virtual platform REDCap. Knowledge was tested before and after the intervention using the “Speak Up When You’re Down”—Postpartum Depression Awareness Campaign examination. Self-efficacy and motivation were measured before and after the intervention by using the Physician/Nurse Practitioner Student Teaching Self-Efficacy Questionnaire and the Physician/Nurse Practitioner Student Teaching Motivation Questionnaire. ResultsNurse practitioner and medical students exhibited a mean increase in scores for knowledge, self-efficacy, and motivation. Both groups performed similarly from before to after the intervention, and student profession did not moderate the increase from before to after the intervention. ConclusionAn intervention to influence health care students' knowledge, self-efficacy, and motivation for antepartum depression screening can be included in medical and nursing curricula and can also be used with currently practicing health care providers. Doing so could possibly benefit pregnant women by enhancing the antepartum care that they receive.