Midwifery Education Institutions in Italy Creation and Validation of Clinical Preceptors' Assessment Tool: Students' and Expert Midwives' Views.

Paola Agnese Mauri,Ivan Cortinovis,Marta Soldi,Norma Nilde Guerrini Contini

doi:10.3390/nursrep10020021

Paola Agnese Mauri, Ivan Cortinovis + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/nursrep10020021

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Abstract

Background: The aim of the study is to create and validate a midwifery preceptor’s evaluation form to be used by midwifery students. The International Confederation of Midwives recommends that clinical placements need to be supervised by a preceptor in order to be efficient for students who, in this way, gain competence and proper practice within the midwifery practical area. Methods: This is an observational multi-center transversal study and leads to the validation of an evaluation questionnaire. Methodically, the following steps were followed: literature review, focus group with midwifery students, meeting between expert midwives, creation of the preceptor’s assessment form, filling in of the forms by midwifery students and expert midwives, and validation of the form. The study was carried out in eight Italian universities and included eighty-eight midwifery students and eight midwives. Results and Conclusion: A midwifery preceptor’s assessment questionnaire was created made up of four attribute areas which, as a total, included 33 items. Cronbach’s alpha score was calculated after examining the forms filled in by students and expert midwives. An alpha score of 0.97–0.85 was obtained. The result was Pearson Correlation Coefficient r = 0.78.

Highlights

In Italy, the midwifery university’s major lasts three years, in which students need to achieve 180 university credits in order to graduate; 112 of them are for theoretical activities, and 68 are for clinical placements
The International Confederation of Midwives recommends that clinical placements need to be supervised by a preceptor in order to be efficient for students who, in this way, gain competence and proper practice within the midwifery practical area
Clinical placements are fundamental to midwifery students [3,7,8] and the relationship between the student and the preceptor influences the student’s learning and the integration of theoretical information and practice [9,10]

Summary

Introduction

In Italy, the midwifery university’s major lasts three years, in which students need to achieve 180 university credits in order to graduate; 112 of them are for theoretical activities, and 68 are for clinical placements. The International Confederation of Midwives recommends that clinical placements need to be supervised by a preceptor in order to be efficient for students who, in this way, gain competence and proper practice within the midwifery practical area. The Nursing and Midwifery Council [11], the International Confederation of Midwives [12] and the World Health Organization [13] strongly recommend that, in order to gain competence and proper practice within the area of midwifery, clinical placements need to be supervised by a designated preceptor. The aim of this study is to create and validate a tool designated to evaluate the attributes of a midwifery preceptor. The creation of a questionnaire form for students aims to identify and measure the right attributes of a preceptor, underlining and evaluating the responsibilities of future health professionals [15]

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