Abstract
Introduction: Entry to practice into the midwifery profession has changed in Australia in the last fifteen years; Bachelor of Midwifery, Dual Degree, Masters and Postgraduate Midwifery courses are all accredited courses leading to registration as a midwife. This has encouraged a variety of students with diverse cultural and societal backgrounds to enter into midwifery programs. These new students bring with them different experiences and perceptions regarding normal birth, the role of the midwife and breastfeeding.
Aim: The overall aim of this qualitative study was to generate new understanding to describe and explain the views and knowledge regarding the midwifery role, normal birth and breastfeeding, that students enrolled in a University in Western Australia, hold at the commencement of their midwifery education. The study also aimed to assess whether views, perceptions and knowledge had changed after nine weeks of University education within the midwifery courses commencement.
Methods: This study used a qualitative descriptive approach, where first year undergraduate and postgraduate midwifery students were invited to complete a questionnaire during orientation week. The questionnaire contained open-ended questions in order to explore student's beliefs and perceptions. These views were collected before any teaching and learning commenced. The researchers used latent content analysis to analyse the collected data. Ethical approval for this study was granted by the ethics committee at the University where the students were enrolled.
Results: The results revealed that the new students’ perceptions of the role of the midwife, and highlighted the attitudes of this group of students regarding normal birth and breastfeeding, before midwifery education commenced.
Conclusion and implications: Comparison of the data between undergraduate and post graduate students provides interesting information on whether prior nursing experiences and education influences the perception of new midwifery students towards normal birth, the role of the midwife and breastfeeding.