Comparison of the effects of apprenticeship training by sandwich feedback and traditional methods on final-semester operating room technology students’ perioperative competence and performance: a randomized, controlled trial

Abstract Background Effective feedback is fundamental in clinical education, as it allows trainers to constantly diagnose the trainees’ condition, determine their weaknesses, and intervene at proper times. Recently, different feedback-based approaches have been introduced in clinical training; however, the effectiveness of such interventions still needs to be studied extensively, especially in the perioperative field. Therefore, this study sought to compare the effects of apprenticeship training using sandwich feedback and traditional methods on the perioperative competence and performance of Operating Room (OR) technology students. Methods Thirty final-semester undergraduate OR technology students taking the apprenticeship courses were randomly allocated into experimental (n = 15) and control (n = 15) groups through the stratified randomization approach. The students in the experimental group experienced Feedback-Based Learning (FBL) using a sandwich model, and the students in the control group participated in Traditional-Based Training (TBT) in six five-hour sessions weekly for three consecutive weeks. All students completed the Persian version of the Perceived Perioperative Competence Scale-Revised (PPCS-R) on the first and last days of interventions. Also, a blinded rater completed a checklist to evaluate all students’ performance via Direct Observation of Procedural Skills (DOPS) on the last intervention day. Besides, the students in the FBL filled out a questionnaire regarding their attitude toward the implemented program. Results The mean total score of the PPCS-R was significantly higher in the FBL than in the TBT on the last intervention day (P