Prepared and motivated to work in midwifery continuity of care? A descriptive analysis of midwifery students' perspectives.
Caseload midwifery
Continuity of care
Maternity services reform
Midwifery education
Midwifery standards
Journal
Women and birth : journal of the Australian College of Midwives
ISSN: 1878-1799
Titre abrégé: Women Birth
Pays: Netherlands
ID NLM: 101266131
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
Mar 2022
Mar 2022
Historique:
received:
18
12
2020
revised:
09
03
2021
accepted:
29
03
2021
pubmed:
10
4
2021
medline:
19
3
2022
entrez:
9
4
2021
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Internationally, midwifery education and maternity services are evolving to promote midwifery continuity of care. It is unclear whether current Australian midwifery education programs are graduating a midwifery workforce prepared and motivated to work in this way. To discover how well midwifery students in Australia feel they have been prepared and motivated to work in midwifery continuity of care when they enter practice. A pragmatist approach was used. Participants were final year midwifery students at one Australian university participating in the Midwifery Student Evaluation of Practice (MidSTEP) project over three consecutive years. Descriptive analysis of selected scaled and free text responses was undertaken to ascertain how students' clinical practice experiences had influenced their learning, development and career aspirations. Exposure to midwifery continuity of care had profound impact on students' learning, enabling them to provide woman-centred midwifery care whilst increasing confidence and preparedness for practice. The majority were motivated to work in midwifery continuity of care upon graduation. A small minority of participants felt unprepared to work in midwifery continuity of care, attributing this to their family commitments, a sense of needing more experience or unsupportive workplace cultures. Midwifery continuity of care experiences are highly valued by midwifery students and positively influence confidence, preparation and motivation for beginning practice. It is necessary to review education standards to ensure quality, consistency, and adequacy of these experiences throughout pre-registration midwifery education. This will assist in generating a midwifery workforce prepared and motivated to deliver the goals of maternity service reform.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
Internationally, midwifery education and maternity services are evolving to promote midwifery continuity of care. It is unclear whether current Australian midwifery education programs are graduating a midwifery workforce prepared and motivated to work in this way.
AIM
OBJECTIVE
To discover how well midwifery students in Australia feel they have been prepared and motivated to work in midwifery continuity of care when they enter practice.
METHODS
METHODS
A pragmatist approach was used. Participants were final year midwifery students at one Australian university participating in the Midwifery Student Evaluation of Practice (MidSTEP) project over three consecutive years. Descriptive analysis of selected scaled and free text responses was undertaken to ascertain how students' clinical practice experiences had influenced their learning, development and career aspirations.
RESULTS
RESULTS
Exposure to midwifery continuity of care had profound impact on students' learning, enabling them to provide woman-centred midwifery care whilst increasing confidence and preparedness for practice. The majority were motivated to work in midwifery continuity of care upon graduation. A small minority of participants felt unprepared to work in midwifery continuity of care, attributing this to their family commitments, a sense of needing more experience or unsupportive workplace cultures.
SUMMARY
CONCLUSIONS
Midwifery continuity of care experiences are highly valued by midwifery students and positively influence confidence, preparation and motivation for beginning practice. It is necessary to review education standards to ensure quality, consistency, and adequacy of these experiences throughout pre-registration midwifery education. This will assist in generating a midwifery workforce prepared and motivated to deliver the goals of maternity service reform.
Identifiants
pubmed: 33832870
pii: S1871-5192(21)00049-4
doi: 10.1016/j.wombi.2021.03.013
pii:
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Pagination
160-171Informations de copyright
Copyright © 2021 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.