Designing, implementing and evaluating the education program ‘tele- continuing postpartum care’ in the family health internship of master's midwifery students

Changing the type of care in the family health internship curriculum towards continuing care programs can lead to the development of the professional identity of learners. This study was conducted with the aim of designing, implementing and evaluating a tele-continuous care program after delivery for midwifery students.

In this educational process, each student under the direction of the support team was responsible for the continuing care of his client for 6 weeks after delivery. The program was designed based on Taylor's curriculum development model and the evaluation of learners was done by qualitative interviews and completion of portfolios during the course at two levels of reaction and learning Kirkpatrick's model.

Data in the three main categories was categorized as  "learning", "continuous care" and "health provider" with sub-categories include new concept of postpartum period, knowing more about the profession of midwifery, improving communication skills with the client, strengthening the student's self-confidence, eagerness to learn, new experience of taking history, not being judged by others, daring to ask questions, synergy of knowledge, walking in mother's shoes, increasing intimacy, anticipating upcoming issues, availability, ability of follow-up, sense of pleasantness, sense of support,  earlier familiarization of the client with the conditions ahead, trust of the client and more motivation to provide service.

It appears that placing midwifery students in a continuing care model will provide them the opportunity to experience a rich holistic learning.