Practice assessment documentation for midwifery programmes: A scoping review.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Healthcare Professional Assessment
• Midwifery Practice

Background:

• Practice assessment documentation is vital for global midwifery education.
• Inconsistencies arise from varied documentation, grading, and interpretation.
• This review addresses these issues by evaluating existing literature.

Purpose of the Study:

• To map literature on midwifery practice assessment documentation.
• To synthesize evidence on its effectiveness and identify gaps.
• To inform improvements in midwifery student assessment.

Main Methods:

• Conducted a scoping review using JBI methodology.
• Searched multiple databases including CINAHL, MEDLINE, and Web of Science.
• Included studies from Australia, New Zealand, Canada, UK, and EU, using narrative synthesis.

Main Results:

• Nine articles were included: 7 primary research, 1 national report, 1 conference presentation.
• Key themes: validity, reliability, training, time, language, and consistency.
• Evidence suggests nationalized assessment tools can improve reliability and feedback.

Conclusions:

• Ongoing challenges in midwifery assessment require standardized, user-friendly documentation.
• Effective assessment must capture clinical competencies and professional attitudes.
• Nationalized tools show promise, but further research on their impact is needed.