Abstract
The nature of both pre-registration and post-registration midwifery education has changed dramatically over the last two decades, being firmly established within academia and the higher education domain. Notwithstanding the changes to midwifery education, midwives' perceptions of post-registration education, and continual professional development in particular, are mixed. The terms professional training and post-registration education are used interchangeably despite representing different goals. This article will explore professional perceptions of the post-registration educational journey, the concept of further academic development for individual midwives through postgraduate study and how engagement of midwives in postgraduate study could benefit both individual midwives and the collective profession of midwifery.
Highlights
In the United Kingdom (UK) the structure of midwifery education has changed dramatically over the last two decades, moving away from a predominately practical based apprenticeship model in a clinical setting, to being firmly established within academia and the higher education domain (Thomas, 2007)
Engaging in empirical research activity as part of a postgraduate educational programme could provide midwives with the opportunity to research an area of interest and contribute to the existing body of research-based knowledge in midwifery
Postgraduate education provides the opportunity for students to critique the theory and practice of change management and leadership and explore the process and practicalities of leading change through classwork and summative assessment
Summary
In the United Kingdom (UK) the structure of midwifery education has changed dramatically over the last two decades, moving away from a predominately practical based apprenticeship model in a clinical setting, to being firmly established within academia and the higher education domain (Thomas, 2007). In being true advocates for women, midwives require the necessary critical thinking and analytical skills to critically question the wider evidence base of care models This includes the impact of contemporary challenges, such as the contemporary risk culture, on maternity service provision and identify opportunities for progressive evidence based change. Postgraduate education offers students the opportunity to develop research skills Research skills, such as methodically searching for information in order to explore and answer questions about a particular issue, are valuable skills in ensuring the provision of high quality evidence based care. Engaging in empirical research activity as part of a postgraduate educational programme could provide midwives with the opportunity to research an area of interest and contribute to the existing body of research-based knowledge in midwifery
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