New HybridLab Training Method of Clinical Skills Learning in Neonatology: Students’ Opinion

Background: To improve the training process and its results, we used a novel method of studies of medicine in a hybrid laboratory (HybridLab). The aim of the HybridLab training method is to develop standardized practical skills and to improve long-term memory. We created a peer-teaching model that included e-learning modules combined with online checklist-driven skills and decision flowcharts that started with simple steps and progressively worked towards complex simulation scenarios. The aim of this study was to evaluate students’ opinion about initial neonatal resuscitation (INR) training by applying the HybridLab method. Methods: We analyzed how fifth-year medical students of the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (LUHS) Medical Academy evaluated their initial neonatal resuscitation (INR) knowledge before and after the training cycle by using a standardized evaluation questionnaire (a 7-point Likert scale), and conducted a qualitative study using the in-depth unstructured interview technique. Results: The mean evaluation of INR knowledge before the training cycle was 3.19±1.92 points, and after the cycle 6.84±0.44 points. The overall score of the evaluation of the respondents’ knowledge increased by 3.77±1.9 points (p<0.001). In total, 34.6 % of the respondents presented positive evaluations of the HybridLab method, whereas 15.4 % of the respondents presented negative evaluations. Neutral opinions were presented by 19.7 % of the respondents, and 19.7 % of the students did not have an opinion. Conclusions: The HybridLab training method may increase students’ satisfaction with the training process, may improve their self-confidence, and may ensure the quality of the acquisition of practical skills.