Highlights
- •The first GTA session caused nervousness, anxiety, and embarrassment among students.
- •GTA's encouraging and relaxing approach helped students to overcome their initial embarrassment and hesitation.
- •The students extremely satisfied with the learning experience guided by GTA.
Abstract
Background
Given the sensitive nature of the examination, intimate examination procedures such
as breast and genital examination create increased difficulties for students that
other noninvasive techniques do not. The purpose of this study was to explore the
feasibility and efficacy of an innovative instructional technique, breast examination
training via a Gynecological Teaching Associate (GTA), in graduate nursing training
in a part of the world where cultural norms dictate a more conservative approach to
medical training.
Method
A qualitative study design was used, and semistructured interviews were undertaken
with four female graduate nursing students.
Results
Students expressed feelings of anxiety, embarrassment, and hesitation at the first
meeting with the GTA. However, owing to the encouraging and relaxing approach of the
GTA, students overcame their initial difficulties, successfully completed the project,
and reported both surprise at the unexpected success of the methodology and enthusiasm
with the instructional technique.
Conclusion
Our study clearly shows that even in cultures where the methodology has never been
used before and where a more conservative approach to medical training is used, the
effectiveness of this kind of education crosses numerous boundaries and eliminates
obstacles to provide excellent clinical examination instruction to all learners.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: May 04, 2016
Identification
Copyright
© 2016 International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
