Effect of SPIKES-based Education by Role Playing and Multimedia Approaches on Breaking Bad News Skills in Midwifery Students (a Comparison)

Abstract

Summary Due to the diversity of midwives’ responsibilities, the skill to deliver bad news is a vital need, and therefore the teaching approach in this matter is of utmost importance. Thus, this study has been conducted with the purpose of comparing the effect of SPIKES-based education of skills needed for delivering bad news, using two different approaches of role playing and multimedia in midwifery students. This double-blind clinical trial was done on 90 midwifery students who were randomly assigned to three separate groups. Students’ skill in delivering bad news was recorded through a specific checklist before and after the educational intervention. The reliability and validity of this skill evaluation checklist was assessed and confirmed. The final data were analyzed using SPSS software. After educational intervention, role playing and multimedia groups have gained more skills compared to their previous conditions as well as the control group. The skill of delivering bad news did not show a significant difference in role playing and multimedia groups after intervention. The results showed that teaching the skills of delivering bad news using multimedia approach which was held as distance learning course would rival active educational methods such as role playing. Thus, it could be a suitable replacement for role playing methods in increasing the skill needed for delivering bad news.