Shared learning on an international clinical placement: Promoting symbiotic midwifery practice knowledge.

AIM: The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of shared learning between Australian and Balinese midwifery students during a two-week clinical placement in Bali Indonesia. BACKGROUND: Cultural safety in midwifery is a key concept that is underpinned by the provision of holistic quality midwifery care to all women. Therefore, culturally safe midwifery care identifies, protects and promotes women's individual cultures and is a key concept that is fostered in midwifery education. To educate culturally safe midwives, international placements to resource limited countries have become more common within midwifery education programs. METHODS: This study used a qualitative research design with a convenience sampling design. The participants were enrolled in midwifery courses in a University in the Northern Territory of Australia (n=9), a Balinese private midwifery school (n=4) and a Balinese public midwifery school (n=4). Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. FINDINGS: The findings were categorised into major themes under the headings of "Learning together despite differences"; "Cultural differences", "Communication, Resources", and "Recommendations for future placements". CONCLUSION: This study provides a valuable insight into how shared learning increases students' midwifery knowledge and is fundamental in understanding cultural differences that could be applied to students' clinical midwifery practice.

Development and validation of the Australian Midwifery Standards Assessment Tool (AMSAT) to the Australian Midwife Standards for Practice 2018.

BACKGROUND: The Australian Midwifery Standards Assessment Tool (AMSAT) was developed against the Competency Standards for the Midwife in 2017 to enable consistent assessment of midwifery student performance in practice-based settings. The AMSAT requires revision and re-validation as the competency standards have now been superseded by the Midwife Standards for Practice 2018. OBJECTIVE: This research revised and validated the AMSAT to assess performance of midwifery students against the Midwife Standards for Practice 2018 and assessed its sensitivity. DESIGN: A mixed-methods approach was used in a two-phase process. Phase one involved the re-wording of the AMSAT and behavioural cue statements in an iterative participatory process with midwifery academics, assessors and students. The tool was field-tested in different assessment environments in phase two. Completed assessment forms were statistically analyzed, whilst assessor surveys were analysed using descriptive statistics and qualitative content analysis. FINDINGS: Analysis of AMSAT (n=255) indicates the tool as: internally reliable (Cronbach alpha>.9); valid (eigenvalue of 16.6 explaining 67% of variance); and sensitive (score analysis indicating increased levels of proficiency with progressive student experience). Analysis of surveys (n=108) found acceptance of the tool for the purpose of summative and formative assessment, and in the provision of feedback to midwifery students on their performance. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that the re-developed AMSAT is a valid, reliable and acceptable tool to assess midwifery students' performance against the Australian Midwife Standards for Practice This user-friendly tool can be used to standardize midwifery student assessment in Australia and enable continued benchmarking across education programs.

Millennial midwifery: Online connectivity in midwifery education.

AIM: The aim of this study was to explore graduate midwives' experiences of completing a Bachelor of Midwifery online theory course and how that experience led to preparation for practice and future employment as a midwife. METHODS: This study used a questionnaire, with the core research design having a quantitative component using open-ended questions, via the use of an electronic platform. RESULTS: The main themes emerging from the data that the graduates considered important issues were flexibility, isolation and lack of support. CONCLUSION: Course completion, experience of online learning/preparation for practice, and recommendations for improvement were identified as areas of importance for graduates of the online midwifery theory course.

Midwifery students receiving the newborn at birth: A pilot study of the impact of structured training in neonatal resuscitation.

The experience of midwifery students in receiving the newborn at birth, before and after structured training in neonatal resuscitation: A pilot study. The practice of receiving the newborn, including neonatal resuscitation is an essential component of midwifery. Anecdotal evidence suggests preparation for the task is ad hoc within midwifery curricula, leading to student's anxiety. This paper reports impacts of neonatal resuscitation training upon levels of knowledge, preparedness, and anxiety for midwifery students receiving the newborn. Midwifery students participated in an online questionnaire before and after neonatal resuscitation training. The responses collected were subjected to descriptive analysis. Of 10 students invited, 6 completed the pre and post course questionnaires. Knowledge of the responsibility in receiving the newborn and instigation of resuscitation increased after attending the course. Steps to prepare to receive the newborn and clinical signs for initial assessment remained static. Students felt more prepared to receive the newborn after the course but did not improve in their preparation to initiate resuscitation. Anxiety levels remained static. Structured neonatal resuscitation training and strategies to ensure application of skills learnt should be embedded into midwifery curricula. Midwifery students' experience in receiving the newborn and neonatal resuscitation is worthy of further study.