EVALUATION OF STUDENTS’ SATISFACTION WITH DIGITAL CONTINUITY OF CARE (COC) IN MIDWIFERY EDUCATION AND CLINICAL PRACTICE

Abstract

The integration of digital technology into midwifery education provides opportunities to support Continuity of Care (CoC) learning and clinical practice. This study aimed to evaluate students’ satisfaction with the use of a digital CoC application in midwifery education and clinical practice. A quantitative descriptive-analytic study was conducted in 2026 involving 51 midwifery students who had used the digital CoC application during learning and clinical practice. Participants were selected using total sampling. Data were collected using a 10-item questionnaire assessing students’ satisfaction with digital CoC, including student–patient interaction, therapeutic communication, health education, access to patient information, personalized care, and professional relationships. Data were analyzed descriptively using mean and standard deviation. All ten satisfaction indicators were classified as very high, with mean scores ranging from 4.25 ± 0.77 to 4.49 ± 0.61. The highest scores were observed for students’ confidence in explaining patients’ health conditions and satisfaction in providing health education, both with a mean of 4.49 ± 0.61. The lowest score concerned concentration during verbal interaction while using the application (4.25 ± 0.77), although it remained in the very-high category. These findings indicate that students demonstrated a highly positive evaluation of digital CoC as a complementary tool for supporting communication, health education, information management, and woman-centred continuity of care. Digital CoC has potential for integration into midwifery education and clinical learning, with appropriate guidance to ensure that technology supports rather than replaces interpersonal communication and clinical supervision.