Exploring practice confidence in final year Ethiopian midwifery students

Area of Science:

• Nursing and Midwifery Education
• Healthcare Professional Training
• Clinical Competency Development

Background:

• Midwifery skills are vital for reducing maternal and neonatal mortality.
• Ensuring midwifery students' confidence in clinical competencies is crucial for effective practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate confidence levels in final-year midwifery students across key competency domains.
• To identify factors influencing student confidence in midwifery practice.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study utilizing a structured, paper-based survey.
• Analysis of data from 72 final-year midwifery students using SPSS.
• Descriptive statistics, cross-tabulations, and chi-square tests were employed.

Main Results:

• Student confidence ranged from 73.6% to 81.9%, with lower confidence in obstetric complication management.
• Increased confidence was linked to educator involvement, simulation, and early clinical exposure.
• Skill demonstration by staff, supervision satisfaction, and birth attendance positively impacted confidence.

Conclusions:

• Expanded practical training, especially in emergency management, is essential for boosting student confidence.
• Findings can guide stakeholders in creating supportive learning environments through improved teaching and mentorship.