EFFECTIVENESS OF A SKILL STATION ON KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICE REGARDING PLACENTAL EXAMINATION AMONG UNDERGRADUATE NURSING STUDENTS: A QUASI EXPERIMENTAL STUDY

Abstract

Background: Examination of the placenta after delivery is an important component of postnatal assessment. Systematic examination of the placenta, membranes, and umbilical cord can help identify abnormalities and supports appropriate clinical management. Nursing students therefore require both theoretical knowledge and practical competency in placental examination. Skill station-based teaching provides structured opportunities for demonstration, guided practice, return demonstration, and feedback. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a skill station on knowledge and practice regarding placental examination among nursing students. Methods: A quantitative, pre-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design was adopted. Eighty nursing students were selected using simple random sampling. Knowledge was assessed using a self-structured knowledge questionnaire, and practice was assessed using an observational checklist. The skill station included lecture-cum-discussion, demonstration of placental examination, identification of placental structures and abnormalities, guided practice, and return demonstration. Descriptive statistics and paired t-tests were used for analysis. Results: In the pretest, 73.75% of students had average knowledge and 50% had poor practice. Following the intervention, 61.25% had good knowledge, while 81.25% had average practice, 16.25% had good practice, and 2.5% had excellent practice. The mean knowledge score increased from 8.95 ± 1.46 to 11.78 ± 1.22 (t = 23.4054, df = 79, p < 0.0001). The mean practice score increased from 5.71 ± 2.12 to 11.48 ± 1.75 (t = -20.9867, df = 79, p < 0.0001). Conclusion: The skill station was associated with statistically significant improvements in knowledge and practice regarding placental examination among the participating nursing students. The findings support the use of structured skill-based teaching within nursing education.