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Abstract

This is an eighteen months study using a combination of qualitative and quantitative research tools to investigate student midwives clinical experiences of hospital-based postnatal care. Focus groups and guided dairies were used to explore student’s perceptions of their experiences in preparing them towards achieving their NMC requirements, the support and teaching they received and their perceptions of factors that facilitated or hindered learning during this clinical placement. Views and experiences of ward staff, about their role in supporting, mentoring and teaching student midwives during their clinical placement, were attained using short survey and interviews.

The sample groups consisted of students and staff based on the postnatal ward at the time of the study. Five out of six senior midwives participated in the one-to-one interviews. A total of 41 students were invited to one of the four focus groups of which thirty two (78%) participated. At the time of the fieldwork thirteen MCAs were working on the wards. All were invited to and seven participated in the discussions. Questionnaires were sent to 21 staff (4 were general nurses and 17 were midwives). The response rate, following two reminders, was very poor (9 (43%) returned completed questionnaires).

The analysis of the qualitative data was conducted using an inductive approach and where appropriate the frequency of themes from the responses has been reported. Descriptive analysis, with the use of SPSS, has been used to evaluate the quantitative data. Review of key documents, accounts of first hand clinical experiences and the student midwives’ assessment tools have been deployed to provide the description of the hospital-based postnatal clinical learning environment.

Publication Type:	Report
Additional Information:	© 2007 City University London. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronically or mechanically, including photocopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval system, without either prior written permission in writing from the publisher or a license permitting restricted copying. In the United Kingdom such licenses are issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency: 90 Tottenham Court Road, London W1P 0LP.
Subjects:	R Medicine > RG Gynecology and obstetrics
Departments:	School of Health & Psychological Sciences > Midwifery & Radiography

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