Midwifery Student Evaluation of Practice: The MidSTEP tool — Perceptions of clinical learning experiences

Marnie Griffiths; Jennifer Fenwick; Jenny Gamble; Debra K. Creedy

doi:10.1016/j.wombi.2019.09.010

Midwifery Student Evaluation of Practice: The MidSTEP tool — Perceptions of clinical learning experiences

Marnie Griffiths
, Jennifer Fenwick
, Jenny Gamble
, Debra K. Creedy

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

29 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background: Little emphasis has been given to the standardised measurement of midwifery students’ perceptions of their clinical learning experiences. Aim: To develop a tool that evaluates students’ perceptions of their clinical learning experiences according to environment and impact of preceptors on professional development. Methods: A cross-sectional design was used. Tool development had three phases: item generation; expert review to assess clarity, apparent internal consistency and content validity; and psychometric testing. All Bachelor of Midwifery students at one university in Australia were invited to complete the online survey. Psychometric testing included dimensionality, internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Results: A 74% (n = 279) response rate was achieved. Factor analysis revealed the Clinical Learning Environment Scale and Impact of the Midwifery Preceptor Scale accounting for 53.6% and 71.5% of variance respectively. Both scales were reliable (Cronbach's alpha =.92 and.94) and valid. Overall, students positively rated the clinical learning environment and preceptors’ abilities to foster their sense of identity as a midwife. Students were less satisfied with preceptors’ understanding of the academic program. Discussion: The new tool consists of two scales that reliably measure midwifery students’ perceptions of how the clinical learning environment develops their skills and reflects a midwifery philosophy. Preceptors had a positive influence on students’ skills and professional development. Conclusions: The Midwifery Student Evaluation of Practice tool is the first valid and reliable measure of students’ perceptions of their clinical learning experiences. Students’ feedback provides valuable information to educators and preceptors on how best to optimise clinical learning.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	440-447
Number of pages	8
Journal	Women and Birth
Volume	33
Issue number	5
Early online date	23 Oct 2019
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wombi.2019.09.010
Publication status	Published - Sept 2020
Externally published	Yes

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
We are grateful to the BMid students who gave so freely of their time and completed the survey on two occasions. We acknowledge and express our thanks to the midwifery experts: Dr Amanda Carter, Associate Professor Sidebotham, Ms Janice Bass, and Associate Professor Kathleen Baird who contributed to development of the original item pool. We acknowledge and express our thanks to Dr Julie Pallant for her expertise in statistical analysis and Ms Caroline Walters for co-ordinating the online surveys. The study was supported by a Learning and Teaching grant from the School of Nursing & Midwifery, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia.

Funding Information:
We are grateful to the BMid students who gave so freely of their time and completed the survey on two occasions. We acknowledge and express our thanks to the midwifery experts: Dr Amanda Carter, Associate Professor Sidebotham, Ms Janice Bass, and Associate Professor Kathleen Baird who contributed to development of the original item pool. We acknowledge and express our thanks to Dr Julie Pallant for her expertise in statistical analysis and Ms Caroline Walters for co-ordinating the online surveys. The study was supported by a Learning and Teaching grant from the School of Nursing & Midwifery, Griffith University , Brisbane, Australia.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 Australian College of Midwives

Funding

We are grateful to the BMid students who gave so freely of their time and completed the survey on two occasions. We acknowledge and express our thanks to the midwifery experts: Dr Amanda Carter, Associate Professor Sidebotham, Ms Janice Bass, and Associate Professor Kathleen Baird who contributed to development of the original item pool. We acknowledge and express our thanks to Dr Julie Pallant for her expertise in statistical analysis and Ms Caroline Walters for co-ordinating the online surveys. The study was supported by a Learning and Teaching grant from the School of Nursing & Midwifery, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia. We are grateful to the BMid students who gave so freely of their time and completed the survey on two occasions. We acknowledge and express our thanks to the midwifery experts: Dr Amanda Carter, Associate Professor Sidebotham, Ms Janice Bass, and Associate Professor Kathleen Baird who contributed to development of the original item pool. We acknowledge and express our thanks to Dr Julie Pallant for her expertise in statistical analysis and Ms Caroline Walters for co-ordinating the online surveys. The study was supported by a Learning and Teaching grant from the School of Nursing & Midwifery, Griffith University , Brisbane, Australia.

Keywords

Clinical
Midwifery
Professional development
Students
Survey

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Obstetrics and Gynaecology
Maternity and Midwifery

Access to Document

10.1016/j.wombi.2019.09.010

Cite this

@article{ca8f6a1dbb784486b333eb2c27b13afb,

title = "Midwifery Student Evaluation of Practice: The MidSTEP tool — Perceptions of clinical learning experiences",

abstract = "Background: Little emphasis has been given to the standardised measurement of midwifery students{\textquoteright} perceptions of their clinical learning experiences. Aim: To develop a tool that evaluates students{\textquoteright} perceptions of their clinical learning experiences according to environment and impact of preceptors on professional development. Methods: A cross-sectional design was used. Tool development had three phases: item generation; expert review to assess clarity, apparent internal consistency and content validity; and psychometric testing. All Bachelor of Midwifery students at one university in Australia were invited to complete the online survey. Psychometric testing included dimensionality, internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Results: A 74\% (n = 279) response rate was achieved. Factor analysis revealed the Clinical Learning Environment Scale and Impact of the Midwifery Preceptor Scale accounting for 53.6\% and 71.5\% of variance respectively. Both scales were reliable (Cronbach's alpha =.92 and.94) and valid. Overall, students positively rated the clinical learning environment and preceptors{\textquoteright} abilities to foster their sense of identity as a midwife. Students were less satisfied with preceptors{\textquoteright} understanding of the academic program. Discussion: The new tool consists of two scales that reliably measure midwifery students{\textquoteright} perceptions of how the clinical learning environment develops their skills and reflects a midwifery philosophy. Preceptors had a positive influence on students{\textquoteright} skills and professional development. Conclusions: The Midwifery Student Evaluation of Practice tool is the first valid and reliable measure of students{\textquoteright} perceptions of their clinical learning experiences. Students{\textquoteright} feedback provides valuable information to educators and preceptors on how best to optimise clinical learning.",

keywords = "Clinical, Midwifery, Professional development, Students, Survey",

author = "Marnie Griffiths and Jennifer Fenwick and Jenny Gamble and Creedy, \{Debra K.\}",

note = "Funding Information: We are grateful to the BMid students who gave so freely of their time and completed the survey on two occasions. We acknowledge and express our thanks to the midwifery experts: Dr Amanda Carter, Associate Professor Sidebotham, Ms Janice Bass, and Associate Professor Kathleen Baird who contributed to development of the original item pool. We acknowledge and express our thanks to Dr Julie Pallant for her expertise in statistical analysis and Ms Caroline Walters for co-ordinating the online surveys. The study was supported by a Learning and Teaching grant from the School of Nursing \& Midwifery, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia. Funding Information: We are grateful to the BMid students who gave so freely of their time and completed the survey on two occasions. We acknowledge and express our thanks to the midwifery experts: Dr Amanda Carter, Associate Professor Sidebotham, Ms Janice Bass, and Associate Professor Kathleen Baird who contributed to development of the original item pool. We acknowledge and express our thanks to Dr Julie Pallant for her expertise in statistical analysis and Ms Caroline Walters for co-ordinating the online surveys. The study was supported by a Learning and Teaching grant from the School of Nursing \& Midwifery, Griffith University , Brisbane, Australia. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2019 Australian College of Midwives",

year = "2020",

month = sep,

doi = "10.1016/j.wombi.2019.09.010",

language = "English",

volume = "33",

pages = "440--447",

journal = "Women and Birth",

issn = "1871-5192",

publisher = "Elsevier B.V.",

number = "5",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Midwifery Student Evaluation of Practice

T2 - The MidSTEP tool — Perceptions of clinical learning experiences

AU - Griffiths, Marnie

AU - Fenwick, Jennifer

AU - Gamble, Jenny

AU - Creedy, Debra K.

N1 - Funding Information: We are grateful to the BMid students who gave so freely of their time and completed the survey on two occasions. We acknowledge and express our thanks to the midwifery experts: Dr Amanda Carter, Associate Professor Sidebotham, Ms Janice Bass, and Associate Professor Kathleen Baird who contributed to development of the original item pool. We acknowledge and express our thanks to Dr Julie Pallant for her expertise in statistical analysis and Ms Caroline Walters for co-ordinating the online surveys. The study was supported by a Learning and Teaching grant from the School of Nursing & Midwifery, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia. Funding Information: We are grateful to the BMid students who gave so freely of their time and completed the survey on two occasions. We acknowledge and express our thanks to the midwifery experts: Dr Amanda Carter, Associate Professor Sidebotham, Ms Janice Bass, and Associate Professor Kathleen Baird who contributed to development of the original item pool. We acknowledge and express our thanks to Dr Julie Pallant for her expertise in statistical analysis and Ms Caroline Walters for co-ordinating the online surveys. The study was supported by a Learning and Teaching grant from the School of Nursing & Midwifery, Griffith University , Brisbane, Australia. Publisher Copyright: © 2019 Australian College of Midwives

PY - 2020/9

Y1 - 2020/9

N2 - Background: Little emphasis has been given to the standardised measurement of midwifery students’ perceptions of their clinical learning experiences. Aim: To develop a tool that evaluates students’ perceptions of their clinical learning experiences according to environment and impact of preceptors on professional development. Methods: A cross-sectional design was used. Tool development had three phases: item generation; expert review to assess clarity, apparent internal consistency and content validity; and psychometric testing. All Bachelor of Midwifery students at one university in Australia were invited to complete the online survey. Psychometric testing included dimensionality, internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Results: A 74% (n = 279) response rate was achieved. Factor analysis revealed the Clinical Learning Environment Scale and Impact of the Midwifery Preceptor Scale accounting for 53.6% and 71.5% of variance respectively. Both scales were reliable (Cronbach's alpha =.92 and.94) and valid. Overall, students positively rated the clinical learning environment and preceptors’ abilities to foster their sense of identity as a midwife. Students were less satisfied with preceptors’ understanding of the academic program. Discussion: The new tool consists of two scales that reliably measure midwifery students’ perceptions of how the clinical learning environment develops their skills and reflects a midwifery philosophy. Preceptors had a positive influence on students’ skills and professional development. Conclusions: The Midwifery Student Evaluation of Practice tool is the first valid and reliable measure of students’ perceptions of their clinical learning experiences. Students’ feedback provides valuable information to educators and preceptors on how best to optimise clinical learning.

AB - Background: Little emphasis has been given to the standardised measurement of midwifery students’ perceptions of their clinical learning experiences. Aim: To develop a tool that evaluates students’ perceptions of their clinical learning experiences according to environment and impact of preceptors on professional development. Methods: A cross-sectional design was used. Tool development had three phases: item generation; expert review to assess clarity, apparent internal consistency and content validity; and psychometric testing. All Bachelor of Midwifery students at one university in Australia were invited to complete the online survey. Psychometric testing included dimensionality, internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Results: A 74% (n = 279) response rate was achieved. Factor analysis revealed the Clinical Learning Environment Scale and Impact of the Midwifery Preceptor Scale accounting for 53.6% and 71.5% of variance respectively. Both scales were reliable (Cronbach's alpha =.92 and.94) and valid. Overall, students positively rated the clinical learning environment and preceptors’ abilities to foster their sense of identity as a midwife. Students were less satisfied with preceptors’ understanding of the academic program. Discussion: The new tool consists of two scales that reliably measure midwifery students’ perceptions of how the clinical learning environment develops their skills and reflects a midwifery philosophy. Preceptors had a positive influence on students’ skills and professional development. Conclusions: The Midwifery Student Evaluation of Practice tool is the first valid and reliable measure of students’ perceptions of their clinical learning experiences. Students’ feedback provides valuable information to educators and preceptors on how best to optimise clinical learning.

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KW - Midwifery

KW - Professional development

KW - Students

KW - Survey

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SN - 1871-5192

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ER -

Midwifery Student Evaluation of Practice: The MidSTEP tool — Perceptions of clinical learning experiences

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

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