Innovations in midwifery education and assessment: a Video Objective Structured Clinical Examination (VOSCE)

Background: To be eligible to register as a midwife in Ireland, all midwifery students must be deemed competent to practice. The assessment of competence is therefore an essential component of midwifery education. In previous years, the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) was used to assess midwifery students' clinical skills & knowledge in the simulated examination of the neonate. The COVID-19 pandemic caused major disruption, leading midwifery educators to rethink their approach to the assessment of midwifery students’ clinical skills and knowledge. Aims and Objective: We herein share our experience of adapting from usual face-to-face Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) to developing and implementing a virtual midwifery assessment using a Video Objective Structured Clinical Examination (VOSCE). An application for exemption from full ethics review was sought from the relevant university committee. Description of Innovation: Midwifery students had to choose one of two neonatal examination scenarios to record. Students were instructed to act out the scenario of care appropriate to the chosen scenario. Tailored assignment guidance was developed detailing the technical requirements of the recording process, and the submission process using Bongo™ Video Assignments software. The assignment guidelines also took account of potential Covid_19 related challenges for students completing a video assignment from home with limited access to campus facilities and resources. A VOSCE Rubric was developed to allow examiners to grade the quality of students’ clinical skills, knowledge, communication with parents, as well as the preparation and recording of their video. Impact of Innovation: At the time of abstract submission, student feedback was not available as the module is ongoing. Student feedback from the module evaluations will include feedback in relation to preparing and submitting the VOSCE assignment. Conclusions and Implications: The description of developing and implementing this innovative assessment strategy, as well as the results of the midwifery students’ evaluation offers health science educators the opportunity to consider incorporating this type of assessment strategy as part of their undergraduate and taught graduate curricula going forward.