This study explores the nature of competence required to fulfil the role of the midwife, learning to become competent, and professional learning beyond registration. The research was undertaken through a qualitative, case study approach, exploring competence as a phenomenon, as experienced by thirty-nine student midwives as they went through the final stages of pre-registration midwifery education programmes, were assessed to be competent, and took on the role of the midwife. The views of the thirty-nine participants of competence and of their own capability, development and learning, were compared with the views of teachers, assessors, other midwives, and supervisors of midwives, working with participants. Also explored are the characteristics of the expert and the characteristics of good and bad midwives. The case is made early on in the thesis that a definition of competence is required for midwifery to develop as a profession, to protect the public, and to facilitate midwife development pre and post registration. Towards achieving this, the research begins to construct a model of midwifery competence as an integrated, holistic concept. The research explores the relationship between the various components and dimensions in the integrated model and the factors involved in being competent across contexts and from situation to situation. Factors involved in the maintenance of competence over time and in learning beyond registration are identified by exploring the nature of learning beyond registration and the characteristics of good and bad midwives.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:514924 |
| Date | January 2001 |
| Creators | Butler, Michelle |
| Publisher | University of Nottingham |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Source | http://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/11243/ |
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