title: Preparedness of newly qualified midwives to deliver clinical care: an evaluation of pre-registration midwifery education through an analysis of key events.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  this study was part of a larger project commissioned to ascertain whether midwife teachers bring a unique contribution to the preparation of midwives for practice. The aim of this phase was to determine whether the student midwives' educational programme had equipped them to practise competently after entry to the professional register.
  
  
  METHODS
  this was a prospective, longitudinal qualitative study, using participant diaries to collect data.
  
  
  METHODS
  data were collected from newly qualified midwives during the initial six months after they commenced their first post as a qualified midwife.
  
  
  METHODS
  the potential participants were all student midwives who were completing their education at one of six Universities (three in England, one in Scotland, one in Wales and one in Northern Ireland). Diary data were submitted by 35 newly qualified midwives; 28 were graduates of the three year programme and seven of the shortened programme.
  
  
  RESULTS
  diary entries were analysed using thematic analysis (Braun and Clarke, 2006), with a focus on identification of key events in the working lives of the newly qualified midwives. A total of 263 key events were identified, under three main themes: (1) impact of the event on confidence, (2) gaps in knowledge or experience and (3) articulated frustration, conflict or distress.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  essentially, pre-registration education, delivered largely by midwife teachers and supported by clinical mentors, has been shown to equip newly qualified midwives to work effectively as autonomous practitioners caring for mothers and babies. While newly qualified midwives are able to cope with a range of challenging clinical situations in a safe manner, they lack confidence in key areas. Positive reinforcement by supportive colleagues plays a significant role in enabling them to develop as practitioners.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  whilst acknowledging the importance of normality in childbearing there is a need within the curriculum to enable midwives to recognise and respond to complex care situations by providing theory, simulations and practice experience.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Health, Education and Society, University of Plymouth, Wellington Road, Taunton TA1 5YD, UK. heather.skirton@plymouth.ac.uk
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Skirton
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Stephen
authors.forename: Faye
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Doris
authors.forename: Maggie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Avis
authors.forename: Diane M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Fraser
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008880:Midwifery / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009660:Northern Ireland; D057184:Practice Patterns, Nurses' / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017009:Professional Autonomy; D011361:Professional Competence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012606:Scotland; D013338:Students, Nursing; D014852:Wales; D055815:Young Adult