Clinical competencies of undergraduate nursing students for labor care: a quasi-experimental study

Introduction: Clinical simulation in the management of labor improves undergraduate nursing students' clinical competencies by integrating knowledge, skills, and attitudes. This integration facilitates the internalization of theoretical knowledge, reinforcing self-esteem and confidence in providing care. Objective: To evaluate the effect of clinical simulation on the development of clinical competencies for the management of labor in undergraduate nursing students at a public university in Oaxaca. Materials and Methods: A quasi-experimental pre- and post-test study was conducted with 38 undergraduate nursing students, men and women, in the sixth (18) and fourth (20) semesters. The sample size for comparison of means was calculated in G*Power 3. Data were collected using the Clinical Simulation Competency Assessment Tool (ClinSimCAT). Descriptive and inferential statistical analysis was performed using the statistical software SPSS version 26.0. Results: The Wilcoxon test revealed statistically significant differences between the mean pretest and post-test scores for the Intervention Group (IG) (p < 0.001). In addition, the Student's t-test showed significant differences between the means of the IG and Control Group (CG) in the post-test (t = 7.598, df = 37, p < 0.0001). Discussion: Clinical simulation significantly improved students' clinical competencies in the management of labor, which is consistent with the findings of other research studies. Conclusion: It is crucial that clinical simulation is not limited to technical procedures but also promotes the development of comprehensive nursing skills.