Abstract
BackgroundWith a diversity in midwifery education across the South-East Asia region, and with the knowledge about the lifesaving competency of the midwife profession, this study’s aim is to describe facilitators of and barriers to providing high-quality midwifery education in South-East Asia. MethodsInspired by Whittemore and Knafl, we conducted a systematic integrative literature review including the five key stages of problem identification, literature search, data evaluation, data analysis, and presentation of results. The literature searches were conducted in October 2020 in the databases CINAHL, PubMed, and Scopus. A deductive data analysis based on global standards was performed. ResultsThe search identified 1257 articles, 34 of which were included. Countries in South-East Asia did not fully comply with the ICM global standards. Midwifery education was not separated from that of nursing, and educators lacked formal qualifications in midwifery. Curriculum implementation in the clinical area was a key barrier to achieving learning outcomes. Higher academic education for midwifery educators and mentorship programs facilitated the pedagogic and assessment process, focusing on the abilities of critical thinking, reflection, and decision-making. ConclusionsCountries in South-East Asia still have a long way to go before they can provide high-quality midwifery education. The identified facilitators can lead to a difference in students’ academic achievement and confidence in their clinical work. Coordinated actions will enable the progress in achieving competent midwives matching national health priorities. The findings highlight a need for more research on midwifery education in both theory and practice across the region.
Highlights
The facilitators of and barriers to providing a high-quality midwifery education in South-East Asia are presented in the results with the six headings from the Global Standards for Midwifery Education: Organization and Administration; Midwifery Faculty, with the subcategories Academic Educators and Clinical Educators; Student Body; Curriculum, with the subcategories Midwifery Educators at Teaching Institutions and Clinical Educators; Resources, Facilities, and Service; and Assessment Strategies
The results revealed that the studied countries in South-East Asia did not fully comply with the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) global standards
When the Organization and Administration standard of the midwife education does not lead to a license, there is no logical relationship in education, regulation, and practice, which according to the WHO midwifery education action framework is crucial for securing highquality midwifery services [4]
Summary
Stillbirths, and saving 4.3 million lives annually by 2035 This applies if midwives are given the opportunity to work with an evidence-based approach on interdisciplinary teams and in a favorable environment [2]. High-quality midwifery education programs are vital for educating competent midwives who can provide a high standard of safe, evidence-based care for women and newborns [3,4]. With a diversity in midwifery education across the South-East Asia region, and with the knowledge about the lifesaving competency of the midwife profession, this study’s aim is to describe facilitators of and barriers to providing high-quality midwifery education in South-East Asia. Conclusions: Countries in South-East Asia still have a long way to go before they can provide high-quality midwifery education.
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