The role of midwives as educators in Australian medical schools

Abstract

This exploratory study aims to investigate the role and experiences of midwife educators in Australian medical schools. The objectives included learning how midwife educators perceive their roles, what they consider the benefits of the role, their challenges and their future visions for the role. A qualitative descriptive methodology was used to explore the experiences of 12 midwife educators from nine Australian medical schools. Each midwife was interviewed via teleconference using semi-structured interviews, which had a natural inquiry approach, to obtain in-depth data on their role and experiences. The interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. NVivo (QSR™) was used for coding and thematic analysis. A feminist theoretical lens underpinned the study, data analysis and interpretation. Three themes, each containing four sub-themes, were developed. The first, ‘the importance of midwifery input into the education of future doctors’, reflected participants’ motivation to educate medical students using a woman-centred approach and emphasised the importance of medical students becoming holistic and respectful practitioners. Participants wanted to ensure that medical students understood physiological vaginal birth and pregnancy and the differences between medical and midwifery approaches to caring for women. The second theme, ‘using distinctive education strategies’, identified how participants used hands-on learning techniques to educate students. Participants discussed the importance of using active techniques to educate medical students on communication, empathy and consent, especially for intimate examinations. They focused on creating safe learning environments and emphasised working within a maternity multidisciplinary team. For the third theme, ‘challenges and opportunities from the role’, participants reflected that the midwife educator role in medical education was largely unknown outside their immediate department. They disclosed feelings of isolation because many of their midwifery colleagues did not recognise the value of this role. This theme also explored other challenges, such as medical students who are sceptical of midwifery expertise in teaching medical students because they are not doctors. However, participants also saw opportunities for midwifery leadership in the education of future doctors and improving health care for pregnant and birthing women.

Date of Thesis submission	2023
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Western Sydney University
Supervisor	Elaine Burns (Supervisor)