Magister Curationis - MCur / The Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) is a formative and summative assessment method used in several health science disciplines. The primary focus of this research study was to explore and describe the experiences of student midwives of the OSCE as used in a specific university context and determine how effective it is in preparing student midwives for clinical practice. However the researcher acknowledges the value of the OSCA (Objective Structured Clinical Assessment), which was not used in the context where the study was conducted. Due to the scarcity of academic literature in South Africa and internationally regarding the experiences of student midwives of OSCE assessments, this research study attempted to increase evidence of students’ experiences for improving the OSCE as an assessment method at a school of nursing used in this study. Research purpose: The purpose of the study was to explore and describe student midwives’ experiences of the Objective Structured Clinical Examination, at the SoN, at a university in the Western Cape, and ascertain whether it prepared them adequately for clinical practice. Research design: A qualitative approach with an exploratory descriptive design was used for the investigation of the student midwives' experiences of this assessment method. Sample: Purposive sampling was utilised to select third year Bachelor of Nursing students, who completed the OSCE during semester one in 2014, at a University in the Western Cape. Nine participants were interviewed. Data collection: The data collection was obtained through semi-structured interviews. Data analysis: The data analysis was done manually using the Thomas (2003) data analysis process. Saturation was reached after nine interviews, when no new relevant knowledge was being acquired. Findings: OSCE preparation was supported by theory and clinical learning opportunities. The OSCE environment was found to be challenging and stressful. Alignment of OSCE stations to clinical skills, theory, clinical practice and appropriateness of time allocation. Students had differing views about their level of confidence and competence. Recommendations: Although the OSCE is a valued instrument in the summative assessment of midwifery students, attention must be given to the careful planning of the OSCE environment and the use of simulation techniques. Adequate support for students is essential, and adherence to a standard method of facilitation in clinical learning, in the skills laboratory, is crucial to fairness in learning and assessment. The direct input from valuable stakeholders in clinical training, such as educators and clinical supervisors, must be considered in order to identify ways to improve the OSCE.

Magister Curationis / Background: Globally, nurses and midwives are the most important healthcare providers. In most countries, nurses and midwives are often the first point of contact to healthcare, and in many rural areas, they are the only point of contact for patients. Skilled midwives are essential for the care of pregnant women and the safe delivery of their infants. Midwives play an important role in promoting the health and wellbeing of women, newborns and their families. In South Africa, slow progress in reducing maternal mortality can be partially attributed to a lack of appropriately trained health professionals to render some basic maternal care services. Aim & objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the self-perception of preparedness for midwifery practice of final-year nursing students at a university in the Western Cape, South Africa. The objectives of the study were to: identify midwifery skills final-year nursing students found challenging to perform independently, determine the level of confidence of final-year nursing students for managing patients in the maternity unit, determine the level of comfort/confidence of final-year nursing students in key practice skills performance, and collect baseline evidence of nursing students’ perceptions of self-preparedness to inform the higher education institution of gaps and needs identified by nursing students. Methodology: A quantitative research approach using a descriptive survey design was implemented to gather information. A self-administered questionnaire using the Casey-Fink Readiness for Practice Survey was used. Due to the limited size of the population, an all-inclusive sampling strategy was utilised, with a sample size of N=217. At the time of the survey, only 164 nursing students attended class. Only 112 questionnaires were returned, yielding a response rate of 70.88%. All returned questionnaires had no missing data. SPSS Statistics version 25 was utilised for data analysis. Descriptive statistics, frequencies and tests for association were utilised.

A quantitative, descriptive non-experimental design was used to identify the factors that influence clinical teaching of midwifery students in selected postnatal clinical settings in Tanzania. Structured questionnaires were used to collect data from midwifery tutors/preceptors. The major findings of the study showed that both the professional and educational qualification of tutors was low; tutors and preceptors were overworked due to shortage of staff; the school skills laboratory and postnatal wards lacked equipment and necessary supplies; there were no clinical accompaniment guidelines, and overcrowding of postnatal patients. Recommendations included developing the clinical teaching guidelines, employing more tutors, preceptors and clinical staff; improving the tutors'/ preceptors' educational and professional qualifications and updating the qualifications of ward supervisors and clinical facilitators. / Health Studies / M.A. (Health Studies)

A quantitative, descriptive non-experimental design was used to identify the factors that influence clinical teaching of midwifery students in selected postnatal clinical settings in Tanzania. Structured questionnaires were used to collect data from midwifery tutors/preceptors. The major findings of the study showed that both the professional and educational qualification of tutors was low; tutors and preceptors were overworked due to shortage of staff; the school skills laboratory and postnatal wards lacked equipment and necessary supplies; there were no clinical accompaniment guidelines, and overcrowding of postnatal patients. Recommendations included developing the clinical teaching guidelines, employing more tutors, preceptors and clinical staff; improving the tutors'/ preceptors' educational and professional qualifications and updating the qualifications of ward supervisors and clinical facilitators. / Health Studies / M.A. (Health Studies)

Bakgrund: Barnmorskans yrkesområde är inom sexuell, reproduktiv och perinatal hälsa. Detövergripande målet i barnmorskeutbildningen är att utveckla självständiga och kompetenta barnmorskor. Den verksamhetsförlagda utbildningen (VFU) motsvarar ungefär halva studietiden och är en viktig del i barnmorskeutbildningen. Förlossningsavdelningen är en viktig miljö för barnmorskestudenter att inhämta kunskaper om graviditet och förlossning. Motiv: VFU på förlossningsavdelning är en känslomässig och intensiv period för barnmorskestudenter. Barnmorskestudenters uppfattningar om vad som främjar utveckling behöver studeras vidare för att kunna optimera framtida verksamhetsförlagda utbildningar. Syfte: Det övergripande syftet var att belysa barnmorskestudenters upplevelser av verksamhetsförlagd utbildning på förlossningsavdelning.  Metod: En kvalitativ design med induktiv ansats har använts. Semistrukturerade intervjuer med sju barnmorskestudenter i Sverige genomfördes. Intervjuerna har analyserats genom en kvalitativ innehållsanalys. Resultat: Genom analysprocessen framkom ett tema, VFU på förlossningsavdelning – en känslomässig berg- och dalbana samt tre kategorier; Att både ge och ta emot stöd där en mängd faktorer som kan påverka mötet med kvinnan och stödpersonen beskrevs. Andra kategorin Att hålla ihop hela vägen beskrev hur barnmorskestudenternas hälsa varierade samt svårigheter i att gå från en trygg yrkesroll till en studentroll. Tredje kategorin Hinder i utvecklingsprocessen visade hur Covid-19-pandemin påverkade barnmorskestudenternas VFU, optimeringar inför framtida VFU samt tankar om den framtida yrkesrollen. Åtta subkategorier bildades. Konklusion: Barnmorskestudenterna upplevde sin VFU på förlossningsavdelning som en känslomässig berg- och dalbana. Flertalet faktorer som tidigare erfarenheter, relationen till handledaren och reflektionsmöjligheter påverkade barnmorskestudenters möte med kvinnan och stödpersonen. Att belysa dessa faktorer och inkludera barnmorskestudenter i den kvinnocentrerade vården kan leda till ökat självförtroende och kompetens hos barnmorskestudenter vilket i sin tur kan leda till optimeringar av den kvinnocentrerade vården. / Background: The midwife's profession is within the sexual, reproductive and perinatalhealth. The overall purpose of midwifery education is to develop independent and competent midwives. The clinical internship is an important part of the education. The labour ward is an important environment for midwifery students to acquire knowledge about pregnancy and childbirth. Motive: Clinical internship in the labour ward is an emotional and intense period for midwifery students. Midwifery student’s perceptions of what promotes development needs to be studied further, in order to optimise future clinical internships. Aim: The aim was to investigate midwifery students experiences of clinical internship at labour wards.  Methods: A qualitative design with an inductive approach was used. Semi-structured interviews with seven midwifery students in Sweden participated. The interviews were analysed with qualitative content analysis. Result: A theme emerged, Clinical internship at the labour ward - an emotional roller coaster and three categories; To both give and receive support where a number of factors that can affect the meeting with the woman and the support person were described. Second category Holding together all the way described how the midwifery student’s health varies as well as difficulties in the student role. The third category Obstacles in the development process showed how the Covid-19-pandemic affected midwifery student’s clinical internship, optimisations and thoughts about the future professional role.  Conclusion: The clinical internship at the labour ward was described as an emotional roller coaster. Previous experiences, the relationship with the supervisor and opportunities for reflection influenced the midwifery student's encounter with the woman and the support person. Elucidating these factors and including midwifery students in women-centered care can lead to increased self-confidence and competence among midwifery students, this couldlead to optimisations of the women-centered care.