Shifting perspectives – A qualitative study about midwives’ experiences of postgraduate education in Canada

IF 2.6 3区医学 Q1 NURSING

Midwifery Pub Date : 2025-02-18 DOI:10.1016/j.midw.2025.104344

Danielle Macdonald , Ruth Walker , Robyn Berman , Kellie Thiessen , Erna Snelgrove-Clarke , Hannah Barnes

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background

Globally, midwifery education is a priority. In Canada, there is only one postgraduate midwifery education program. Most midwives who pursue postgraduate education in Canada enroll in non-midwifery educational programs. We know little about midwives’ experiences of post-graduate education in Canada.

Research Question

What are midwives’ experiences of post-graduate education in Eastern Ontario, Canada?

Methods

We used feminist poststructuralism to explore midwives’ experiences of postgraduate education and paid attention to the concepts of gender, discourse, relations of power, subjectivity, language, and text. Interviews, with four participants, lasted 45–60 min and were transcribed verbatim. We used feminist poststructuralist discourse analysis.

Findings

We share one main theme Shifting perspectives of self, systems, and others – Opening my eyes and four corresponding sub-themes, 1) Increased awareness of health care system and midwifery - How the assignment kind of like, is opening my eyes 2) (Dis)connected to midwifery - Allow me to be as close to midwifery as possible 3) Engaging with a variety of peers and perspectives - What a fascinating and interesting group of peers I have and 4) Conflicting experiences of personal expectations – I don't think I expected it to be quite this much work.

Discussion/Conclusion

Midwives’ experiences highlighted the value of postgraduate education. Postgraduate education for midwives created new understandings of health systems, professional roles, and interdisciplinarity. Interdisciplinary postgraduate education may offer opportunities to challenge existing siloes in health systems. Postgraduate education programs should be designed with consideration of the competing priorities of clinical midwifery work.

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来源期刊

Midwifery 医学-护理

CiteScore

4.50

自引率

7.40%

发文量

221

审稿时长

13.4 weeks

期刊介绍： Midwifery publishes the latest peer reviewed international research to inform the safety, quality, outcomes and experiences of pregnancy, birth and maternity care for childbearing women, their babies and families. The journal’s publications support midwives and maternity care providers to explore and develop their knowledge, skills and attitudes informed by best available evidence. Midwifery provides an international, interdisciplinary forum for the publication, dissemination and discussion of advances in evidence, controversies and current research, and promotes continuing education through publication of systematic and other scholarly reviews and updates. Midwifery articles cover the cultural, clinical, psycho-social, sociological, epidemiological, education, managerial, workforce, organizational and technological areas of practice in preconception, maternal and infant care. The journal welcomes the highest quality scholarly research that employs rigorous methodology. Midwifery is a leading international journal in midwifery and maternal health with a current impact factor of 1.861 (© Thomson Reuters Journal Citation Reports 2016) and employs a double-blind peer review process.