Effect of PETTLEP-based mental imagery on nursing and midwifery students' skill of wound dressing and anxiety

Abstract

Background and Aim: The fundamental objective of educating nursing and midwifery students is to develop their functional and clinical abilities adequately in a way that guarantees safe care for patients. To do this, the most proficient method(s) ought to be embraced to boost student aptitudes and learning. This study aimed to identify the Effect of PETTLEP-based mental imagery on nursing and midwifery students' skill of wound dressing and anxiety.

Methods: This randomized controlled field trial was carried out on 68 nursing and midwifery students at Birjand University of Medical Sciences (BUMS). Initially, the participants completed a demographics form, Movement Imagery Questionnaire- Revised (MIQ-R), Spielberger's State Anxiety Inventory (SAI), and a wound dressing checklist were filled by the participants. Then, the participants were randomly allocated to control and experimental groups and the PETTLEP model-based mental imagery technique for dressing was taught to the latter group over a 90-minute session. The experimental group rehearsed mental imaging for wound dressing three times a week for about a month at the clinical skills lab situated in BUMS while the control group practiced the routine wound dressing skills in the same time span. When the instructional sessions ended for all students, Spielberger's State Anxiety Inventory (SAI) and checklist for wound dressing were completed again.

Results: After adjusting the mean score of anxiety before the intervention, statistical analysis showed that the mean score of anxiety after the intervention score and its mean score changes in the two groups were not significantly different (p> 0.05).  Also, after adjusting the baseline mean score of simple wound dressing, the mean score of wound dressing skill after the intervention score and its mean score change in the experimental group were significantly higher than those of the control group (p <0.001)

Conclusion: The PETTLEP-based mental imagery practice contributes to the development of wound dressing skills in students. Therefore, application of this method is suggested for teaching the skills sought in the FUNDAMENTALS OF NURSING course for nursing and midwifery students.