Can peers improve student retention? Exploring the roles peers play in midwifery education programmes in Canada.
Midwives
Peer support
Qualitative
Retention
Students
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:
Jul 2023
Jul 2023
Historique:
received:
17
08
2022
revised:
01
01
2023
accepted:
12
02
2023
medline:
12
6
2023
pubmed:
23
2
2023
entrez:
22
2
2023
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Peer support is understudied as a factor that can impact midwifery student retention. Retention of midwifery students is essential for creating a sustainable maternity care workforce. Research shows that peer support positively influences students' experiences, but it needs more focus on the role peers play in student retention. We aimed to examine how peer support can facilitate midwifery students' retention by exploring the role peers play in students' experiences and identifying the types of support students offer each other. We conducted 31 semi-structured interviews with students attending Midwifery Education Programmes across Canada. Data were analysed inductively, following the constructivist grounded theory method. While motivated and engaged peers improved students' learning experiences and desire to remain in their program, peers who created an overly competitive academic environment hindered learning. Students also noted that a lack of diversity, particularly of Black and Indigenous peers, limited their ability to learn about culturally safe care. Most students felt a sense of community and relied on one another for emotional, academic, and instrumental support. Peer support has mostly positive effects on student learning and should be formalized by midwifery educators to improve retention. Reducing pressure to succeed, targeting recruitment of students who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour, and establishing formal mentorship programmes could enhance the role peers play in student retention. While retention of students is a complex issue, positive interactions with peers can create a stimulating learning environment and increase students' desire to stay in their programme.
Sections du résumé
PROBLEM
OBJECTIVE
Peer support is understudied as a factor that can impact midwifery student retention.
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
Retention of midwifery students is essential for creating a sustainable maternity care workforce. Research shows that peer support positively influences students' experiences, but it needs more focus on the role peers play in student retention.
AIM
OBJECTIVE
We aimed to examine how peer support can facilitate midwifery students' retention by exploring the role peers play in students' experiences and identifying the types of support students offer each other.
METHODS
METHODS
We conducted 31 semi-structured interviews with students attending Midwifery Education Programmes across Canada. Data were analysed inductively, following the constructivist grounded theory method.
FINDINGS
RESULTS
While motivated and engaged peers improved students' learning experiences and desire to remain in their program, peers who created an overly competitive academic environment hindered learning. Students also noted that a lack of diversity, particularly of Black and Indigenous peers, limited their ability to learn about culturally safe care. Most students felt a sense of community and relied on one another for emotional, academic, and instrumental support.
DISCUSSION
CONCLUSIONS
Peer support has mostly positive effects on student learning and should be formalized by midwifery educators to improve retention. Reducing pressure to succeed, targeting recruitment of students who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour, and establishing formal mentorship programmes could enhance the role peers play in student retention.
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSIONS
While retention of students is a complex issue, positive interactions with peers can create a stimulating learning environment and increase students' desire to stay in their programme.
Identifiants
pubmed: 36804868
pii: S1871-5192(23)00036-7
doi: 10.1016/j.wombi.2023.02.004
pii:
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Pagination
e453-e459Informations de copyright
Copyright © 2023 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts
Conflict of interest All authors would like to confirm that they have no financial or other interest and no conflict of interest of any kind relevant to the publication of this study.