“EFFECTIVENESS OF SKILL STATION TEACHING ON KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICE REGARDING ANTENATAL PALPATION AMONG NURSING STUDENTS IN SELECTED NURSING COLLEGES”

Abstract

Antenatal palpation is an essential clinical skill in maternal health nursing that helps assess fetal growth, position, presentation, and overall maternal-fetal well-being. Nursing students often face difficulties in acquiring adequate knowledge and practical competence in antenatal palpation through conventional teaching methods alone. Skill station-based learning provides a structured, hands-on approach that may enhance students' knowledge and practice. The Objective of the study: 1. To assess the Existing knowledge and practice regarding antenatal palpation among nursing student. 2. To assess knowledge and practice regarding antenatal palpation after skill station among nursing students. 3. To compare the pretest and posttest knowledge scores 4. To find out association of student’s knowledge with demographic variables. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A quantitative approach was adopted using a quasi-experimental one-group pretest–post-test design. The study was carried out among 6th and 7th semester B.Sc. Nursing students from selected nursing colleges of SanglI Miraj Kupwad Corporation area. 100 students selected through non-probability convenience sampling. The data collection instrument comprised Demographic Variables, Structured knowledge questionnaire and observational practice checklist. Content validity was ensured by review from experts in obstetrics and gynecological nursing. Reliability, tested using Karl Pearson’s correlation coefficient, was satisfactory (r = 0.94). A pilot study on 10% of the sample established feasibility. After obtaining informed consent, pre-test assessments of knowledge and practice were conducted, followed by a structured skill station training on Antenatal Palpation. The post-test was administered on the 3rd day after the intervention. Data were analyzed using Descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation) and inferential statistics (paired t-test) RESULTS: The pre-test assessment showed that 83% of nursing students had average knowledge and 17% had poor knowledge regarding antenatal palpation. After the skill station intervention, 88% demonstrated average knowledge and 12% achieved good knowledge, with no students remaining in the poor category. The mean knowledge score increased from 8.29 ± 2.341 in the pre-test to 11.73 ± 1.6988 in the post-test. The calculated paired t-test value was -15.5799 (p < 0.05), indicating a statistically significant improvement in knowledge. Practice scores also improved substantially across all components of antenatal palpation, including pre-procedure preparation, Leopold’s maneuvers, and post-procedure care. No significant association was found between pre test knowledge scores and demographic variables such as age, gender, year of study, and previous exposure to antenatal palpation training.