Expanding the practice placement capacity in pre-registration midwifery education: A scoping review

Abstract

Background

Practice placements are an essential component of midwifery education, enabling students to apply their theoretical knowledge in a real-world midwifery setting. Exposure and immersion to practice is a core focus of midwifery education internationally. These placements are crucial for students to develop the skills and expertise needed to become safe, competent, and compassionate midwife practitioners. However, access to appropriate placements has become a significant challenge, compounded by increasing student numbers. This review aims to synthesise knowledge on practice placements used in midwifery education and identify strategies to increase placement capacity.

Methods

A scoping review framework was utilised to present a broad understanding and knowledge synthesis of the available literature to identify the types of practice placements currently used within pre-registration midwifery education and identify opportunities to increase capacity for the future. Arksey and O'Malley's five-step framework was utilised and this review is reported in line with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR).

Findings

The review identified eleven papers from five different countries. These papers highlight different practice placements utilised to develop competencies and potentially increase practice placement capacity for midwifery students. Community-based placements helped students understand practitioners' roles, while continuity of care models facilitated skill development and positive practice outcomes. Innovative settings such as student-led clinics and rural placements improved students' competence and learning experiences and are seen as successful strategies to develop competency and increase capacity. However, challenges like work-life balance issues and unclear role delineation were observed in some placements, which had a negative impact on student experiences.

Conclusion

This review emphasises the importance of developing and establishing new practice placement locations to develop competencies and increase the practice placement capacity in pre-registration midwifery education, ultimately leading to more qualified midwives. To achieve this objective, it is essential to explore opportunities in various settings, including midwifery group practices in the community, caseload midwifery practice, birth centres, private midwifery practice, rural placements, student-led activities, and primary care settings such as community health clinics. These findings can guide educational institutions and policymakers in developing diverse, sustainable placement opportunities to meet the growing demand for skilled midwives.