Students' and lecturers' perceptions of support in a UK pre-registration midwifery programme

• Published in: Nurse education in practice 2013-11, Vol.13 (6), p.578-583
• Main Authors: McIntosh, Annette Elizabeth, Gidman, Janice, McLaughlin, Andrea
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Academic Language; Adolescent; Adult; Attitude of Health Personnel; Attrition (Research Studies); Communication Skills; Conflict (Psychology); Data collection; Education, Nursing, Graduate - organization & administration; Educational Experience; England; Ethics; Faculty, Nursing; Family - psychology; Female; First year; Flexibility; Focus Groups; Higher education; Humans; Interprofessional Relations; Interviews; Learning Experience; Likert scale; Likert Scales; Listening; Literature Reviews; Mentors; Middle Aged; Midwifery; Midwifery - education; Midwives; Mixed methods research; National Standards; Nursing; Nursing education; Nursing Education Research; Nursing Evaluation Research; Nursing Methodology Research; Obstetrics; Peer Group; Peer support; Peer tutoring; Peers; Perceptions; Pregnancy; Preregistration training; Questionnaires; Research Assistants; School Holding Power; Social Support; Student Attitudes; Student Attrition; Student retention; Student support; Students; Students, Nursing - psychology; Students, Nursing - statistics & numerical data; Surveys and Questionnaires; Theory Practice Relationship; Undergraduate students; Work - psychology; Work-Leisure conflict; Work–life balance; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1471-5953; 1873-5223
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nepr.2013.01.015

This paper reports on a study that explored the perceptions of students and lecturers regarding support within a pre-registration midwifery programme in one Higher Education Institution in England. A mixed method design was used: questionnaires were completed by first year and third year students and lecturers, complemented by focus groups with each of the three sets of participants. The findings showed that there are multi-focal challenges for student midwives in undertaking their programme of study. The main theme that emerged was of the difficulties involved in maintaining an appropriate work–life balance, especially within what was seen as a relatively inflexible programme structure. The value of peer support was also highlighted as a key factor in helping the students succeed in their studies. There were a number of implications for midwifery educators to consider in optimising support for students. These include ensuring that students have realistic expectations at the outset of their studies, formalising peer support mechanisms and reviewing programmes to provide more flexibility to better underpin the maintenance of an appropriate work–life balance. Further study is warranted to explore perceptions of support in practice and to identify the factors that help students to persevere in their studies.