Preparing midwifery students for practice: The value of elective placements in enhancing midwifery practice. (April 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bradshaw, Carmel; Barry, Maebh; Noonan, Maria; Tighe, Sylvia Murphy; Atkinson, Sandra
• Is Part Of: Midwifery. Volume 59(2018)
• Page Start: 112
• Page End: 114
• Publication Date: 2018-04
• Subjects: Elective placements -- Undergraduate midwifery education -- Exposure to different models and systems; Midwifery -- Periodicals; Midwifery -- Periodicals; Sages-femmes -- Périodiques; Midwifery; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 618.2005
• DOI: 10.1016/j.midw.2018.01.012
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0266-6138

Abstract

Abstract: An elective placement where students are facilitated to access different models of midwifery care was included in the 18 month Higher Diploma Midwifery programme in 2008 in a university in Ireland. All students since then have had the opportunity to experience this placement which is advocated by the regulatory board for Nursing and Midwifery in Ireland (NMBI). This paper details the integration of an elective placement referred to as an 'observation week' into the 18 month midwifery programme. It includes a description of the organisation of the observation week, a summary of services accessed by midwifery students, student evaluation of their experience and mechanisms for feedback of these experiences to our partners in clinical practice. The benefits and the challenges of the observation week are considered with reference to the published literature. Highlights: Medicalisation of childbirth and obstetrically driven maternity services in Ireland poses difficulties in providing midwifery students with exposure to midwifery models of care. Exposure to a range of healthcare settings via an elective placement can enhance the existing experience of student midwives. An elective placement can also enhance employability of midwifery students and serve as a vehicle for sharing best practice.