Effectiveness of an online education intervention to enhance student perceptions of Respectful Maternity Care: A quasi-experimental study

Background: Childbearing women's relationship with maternity care providers enhance childbirth outcomes. Students need to understand and offer respectful care. 

Objective: Evaluate effectiveness and impact of an online education intervention on nursing students' perceptions towards respectful maternity care during labour and childbirth in Nepal. 

Design: A quasi-experimental pre-post design was used. 

Participants: A total of 89 Third Year Bachelor of Nursing students (intervention n = 40; control n = 49) from three participating colleges. 

Methods: Students completed online pre and post-test surveys using the Students' Perceptions of Respectful Maternity Care scale and questions about impact of the intervention. The intervention group received six hours of education delivered online (three sessions x three weeks). ANCOVA and non-parametric Wilcoxon signed-rank tests measured effects. 

Results: Compared to controls, students in the intervention group reported a significant increase in perceptions towards respectful maternity care (F (1, 86) = 28.19, p < 0.001, η_p² = 0.25). Participants reported a good understanding of respectful maternity care (75%), positive views about providing such care (82.5%), and a desire to use their new knowledge in practice (65%). 

Conclusion: Relatively few intervention studies to promote respectful maternity care in students have been published. This brief online intervention improved students' perceptions. The intervention package can be integrated into nursing or midwifery curricula and in-service training. A larger study with longer follow-up is needed to support current findings.