PURPOSE:
Clinical relevance: Midwifery students can increase clinical competence and confidence in undertaking perineal repair as a combined online and hands-on course. This eventually leads to a faster leaning pathway during clinical placements. This also improve patient safety when students have trained on phantoms and not suturing first time on women.

DISCUSSION:
Background: The University of South-Eastern Norway implemented a combination of online learning and hands-on simulation for perineal repair skills in 2014. Methods: The midwifery students are offered a comprehensive training package one week before their clinical placement (1).The package contains online preparation with videos and quizzes and four days with different topics for hands-on simulation (2). Simulations are performed using medical trainers representing the vulva, vagina and perineum (3). We are one simulation instructors for every seven students. This allows for individual supervision. We have 10 years’ experience in developing this effective learning package at the university. We find that simulation activities in suturing immediately before practice result in the students now often participate in perineal repairs already in their first week of clinical placement. The reason is that the supervisor trusts their basic competence and surgical skills. Students from USN were those in a national survey who reported having the highest number of instructional days during their education (1).Our clinical training facilities report that midwifery students arrive well prepared for perineal repair.

EVIDENCE WHERE RELEVANT:
Conclusion: Combining online learning and hands-on simulations is beneficial for the theoretical and practical skills that are required for midwifery students. A combination of various teaching methods can also have a positive impact on midwifery students’ preparation for suturing in clinical practice. Poster session 3 (Group B)