Midwives’ experiences of completing written feedback: The emotions, challenges and solutions

Abstract

AimWritten feedback is a valued learning tool for midwifery students, providing information on clinical performance with the aim to improve future practice.One aim of this study was to explore the experiences of midwives in completing written feedback in the clinical setting. DesignThis qualitative study is situated within a hermeneutic phenomenological framework. MethodsData were collected through focus groups and individual interviews, then transcribed and subjected to thematic content analysis. ResultsThree interconnected themes of Emotions, Challenges and Solutions were identified. Midwifery participants experienced strong emotional reactions (anxiety, guilt, frustration) around the completion of written feedback in the clinical setting due to four challenges (lack of time, continuity, clarity of feedback content and direct supervision), which resulted in solutions being employed to offset or minimise problematic written feedback. ConclusionsCompleting written feedback in the clinical setting was a challenging experience for participants in this study, affecting their ability to do so in some cases. This is concerning as the literature is supportive of the positive impact written feedback has on the growth and potential of students.