Developing clinical teaching capacities of midwifery students

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Clinical Pedagogy
• Midwifery Practice

Background:

• Australian midwifery competency standards emphasize professional development for self and others.
• Undergraduate health curricula often lack specific clinical teaching skill development.
• This project addressed midwifery students' preparedness for future clinical teaching roles.

Purpose of the Study:

• To understand midwifery students' preparedness for clinical teaching.
• To enhance midwifery students' capacity for clinical teaching.
• To explore the impact of peer education on developing clinical teaching skills.

Main Methods:

• Design-based research methodology was employed.
• An educational intervention involved peer teaching sessions between first and third-year students.
• Focus groups and thematic analysis captured 30 students' perspectives.

Main Results:

• Students possessed a holistic understanding of clinical teaching responsibilities.
• Identified development of teaching capacities through intended and hidden curriculum.
• Key themes included 'Co-creating a culture for learning', 'reciprocal teaching and learning', and 'developing clinical teaching capacities'.

Conclusions:

• Midwifery students connected workplace experiences to learning and skill development.
• Despite limited formal training, students recognized how learning environments foster clinical teaching skills.
• Students are prepared to support future midwifery student education.