Exploring clinical practice education for student midwives: Hospital and community opportunities and challenges

Understanding the experiences of student midwives during clinical training is crucial amid evolving midwifery practices in the Philippines. This training is a vital component of their education, offering real-world experience in hospital and community settings. Although existing literature covers various aspects of midwifery training, detailed accounts of the specific challenges and opportunities faced by Filipino student midwives are limited. This study explores the experiences of student midwives across different levels of training in public and private institutions, focusing on the opportunities and challenges they encountered. A qualitative descriptive research design was conducted with 26 purposively selected student midwives. Data collected through in-depth interviews were analyzed to identify recurring themes. Key themes included the importance of a supportive learning environment, exposure to diverse cases, and the acquisition of practical skills. Challenges such as hierarchical barriers and communication challenges, role confusion, resource limitations and adaptation struggles, balancing autonomy and supervision, emotional toll of challenging situations and limited community experiences were highlighted. The findings stress the need for a more supportive and resourceful training environment. Addressing these challenges through targeted interventions could enhance the learning experience and better prepare student midwives for their professional roles. Collaborative efforts with other healthcare professionals and continuous learning opportunities are also essential for their development. This study offers valuable insights for educators and healthcare institutions to optimize midwifery training programs, ultimately fostering the holistic growth of future midwives.