ABSTRACT
A Practice Development Tool (PDT) was developed to assist midwifery students to reflect in a way that would contribute to the development of their practice. A survey was undertaken to explore midwifery students’ experience of using this tool across the three years of their undergraduate programme. While a simplified model using reflection to develop practice was helpful, this was alongside the significant contribution of the relationship with the educator who supported them in practice and provided feedback on their use of the tool. The students indicated that they became better at reflecting, identifying their strengths and areas for improvement, and their ability to plan for change within the midwifery programme. The need to provide scaffolding of the elements within the tool, and subsequently to improve the education on the use of the tool at each year, was highlighted for future development.
Acknowledgments
Thank you to the students in the AUT midwifery programme who took the time to complete this survey and for the teachers that work individually with each student to develop their practice through reflective learning.
Disclosure Statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Diana Austin
Diana Austin is a Senior Lecturer at the Auckland University of Technology Midwifery Department, teaching in the undergraduate and postgraduate programme.
Andrea Gilkison
Andrea Gilkison is a Senior Lecturer in Midwifery and Associate Head Postgraduate in the School of Clinical Sciences at AUT
Janine Clemons
Janine Clemons https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4645-8925 Janine is a member of the Auckland University of Technology and is lecturer and researcher within the Bachelor of Health Science (Midwifery) programme.