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This is the fifth article in a series exploring interprofessional education during the COVID-19 pandemic. This article focuses on the experiences and adaptations employed in relation to practice-based learning and placement provision. Forming an integral part of many professional programmes, changes in provision and approaches to practice-based learning and placements will be explored, drawing on theory and findings from existing literature and illustrated with case study reports. Opportunities for innovation, the challenges for incorporating interprofessional practice learning and evidence-informed guidance for future practice will be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is the fourth article in a series exploring experiences of engaging with interprofessional education during the COVID-19 pandemic. Alongside students and practitioners, academics have had significant learning opportunities during the pandemic through reflecting on experiences of developing and delivering interprofessional education using emergency remote teaching. This article presents reflective accounts from academics across the UK, revealing their authentic experiences of maintaining interprofessional education within health and social care programmes during the pandemic. Personal reflective accounts provide case studies that lead to shared learning and suggestions for future interprofessional education provision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is the third in a series of articles exploring experiences of engaging with interprofessional education during the COVID-19 pandemic. This article focuses on experiences of emergency remote teaching from the student perspective, considering the enablers and barriers to effective learning and taking into account the logistical, technological and theoretical considerations for facilitating an authentic learning experience in line with professional standards. A global perspective of interprofessional education during lockdown is provided through case studies, providing an opportunity to benchmark against examples of best practice to ensure online interprofessional education is successful in preparing students to work within a multiprofessional, multi-agency team to provide high-quality care through effective team working. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the learning experiences of students undertaking health and social care programmes across the globe. In the UK, the Nursing and Midwifery Council introduced emergency standards for undergraduate programmes in 2020, making significant short-term changes to programme delivery. However, the mandate for all students to undertake interprofessional education remained. Interprofessional education is key to preparing students on health and social care programmes, as it enables students to work as effective members of multi-agency/multi-professional teams on qualification. It is an important element of training, as it has a direct impact on quality of care and service user experience. This series of articles will explore the experiences of 'lockdown learning' from the perspective of academics, students and service users from a global perspective in relation to the delivery of interprofessional education during the pandemic, which necessitated a wholesale move from face-to-face, blended and online learning to include emergency remote teaching. The series was written by members of the Centre for the Advancement of Interprofessional Education Research Subgroup (Interprofessional Education Experiences) and aims to identify barriers and facilitators to successful shared learning and provide suggestions for how lessons learned can be taken forward to further enhance this important element of pre-registration education. The perceptions and attitudes of academics and students on such comprehensive changes are a unique and rich data source to explore and inform future provision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Post-traumatic stress disorder was first recognised in war veterans who had experienced extreme violence during military combat; however, it is now understood to be caused by a wide range of traumatic experiences, including serious accidents, abuse, natural disasters or terrorist attacks--any event in which a person fears for their life. Traumatic childbirth is also a potential cause, not only for the mother, but also for those who may witness the birth, such as midwives, student midwives, obstetricians and birth partners. This condition is termed vicarious birth trauma. This article will examine the definition of both vicarious birth trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder, and consider the evidence in relation to how these conditions affect midwives and student midwives. It will offer suggestions for personal and organisational management and support strategies, based on research findings and expert advice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many tasks in midwifery are learned and taught from a right-handed perspective, meaning they may prove difficult for people who are lefthanded. Experiences of midwives and midwifery students show that there are various barriers to learning and performing certain skills for left-handed people, and they are often forced to choose whether to persist in conforming to the 'norm' and using their right hand, or adapt elements of practice to suit left-hand dominance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Nursing and Midwifery Council's Standards for pre-registration midwifery education state that the balance between clinical practice and theory for pre-registration midwifery education should be no less than 50% practice and no less than 40% theory. Time spent in clinical practice should enable students to achieve the required standards to be competent and confident at the point of registration. In September 2020 ‘future proof’ standards of proficiency for registered midwives will ensure student midwives are adequately prepared to deal with the increasingly complex demands of their chosen profession. In the interim, the model of support with students being supervised by sign-off mentors will remain in place. This article will discuss how one Trust has introduced the enhanced role of student support midwife to coordinate student placements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Nursing and Midwifery Council Code instructs midwives to treat women as individuals and 'avoid making assumptions and recognise diversity and individual choice'. Tattoos and piercings are becoming increasingly popular forms of body art, with estimates suggesting that up to 36% of people under 40 have at least one tattoo. Anecdotal evidence suggests that tattoos, piercings and 'creative' hair styles and colours may elicit negative opinions and stereotyping of an individual's character and lifestyle choices in the past. Discussions have recently focused on the clinical impact of tattoos and piercings on pregnancy in relation to possible complications in care; however, as cultural norms evolve, tattoos and piercings are becoming mainstream and so this article will use a case study to examine how tattoos and 'colourful' hair are perceived by colleagues and the women in a maternity setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the pedagogical model used in the education of children since the 19th century (Hill, 2015), the educationalist has control and decides the content and mode of delivery, with the students as 'empty vessels' or passive recipients of information. In contrast, adult learners are self-directing, having a repertoire of experience and are internally motivated to learn subject matter that can be applied immediately (Knowles, 1998). Each student's previous experience not only makes their learning individual, but also has the potential to enrich the learning experiences of their peers and positively impact on the quality of care received by women and their babies. This article will consider the theory on how adults learn best, identifying the link between previous experience and the acquisition and application of new knowledge, and will go on to focus on the experiences of Laney Holland, a third-year student midwife, as an example of the potential for previous experiences to enhance midwives' future practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 'Clinicians in the Classroom' series of articles explored the value of expert clinicians sharing their expertise in the classroom setting (Power, 2016). One of the articles featured Tracy Rea (bereavement midwife), a regular contributor to the pre-registration midwifery programme at the University of Northampton, who invited Chris and Kate to a session to share their experiences of the loss of their son Stanley, and their subsequent pregnancy (Power and Rea, 2016). This article will follow Tracy back into the clinical area to look at her role in supporting bereaved families through subsequent pregnancies, and will include the reflections of a second-year student midwife (Sharon) who spent time with Tracy in her specialist antenatal clinic and peer support group, 'The Butterfly Group'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although theoretical assessment is linear throughout the pre-registration midwifery programme, anecdotal evidence suggests there is a disproportionate increase in student midwives’ expectations as they enter their third year of study, knowing they are closer to qualification and the associated responsibilities of autonomous practice. The Nursing and Midwifery Council states that pre-registration midwifery programmes must be at least 3 years or the equivalent to 156 weeks full-time, but there is anecdotal evidence of a culture of expectation that students should be proficient from the start of their third year. This article explores the experiences and expectations of student midwives who have just commenced their final year of training and—in the context of a rising birth rate, increasing workloads and staff shortages—consider how they can be best supported by education and placement providers to successfully complete their studies and ultimately be admitted to the register. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is a busy and exciting time in the academic year, as third-year students come to the end of their programme of study and start to apply for preceptorship posts. While there remains a shortage of midwives (Bonar, 2015), applications for posts are still very competitive and so candidates need to be as thoroughly prepared as possible to ensure they perform at their very best on the day. This article revisits what constitutes 'a good midwife' (Power, 2015) and looks at the recruitment process from the perspectives of the interviewer and the interviewee. Paula Briody, matron for intrapartum care at Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust, is actively involved in the recruitment process for her Trust and outlines the key characteristics she looks for in candidates. The article also shares the experiences of third-year students who have recently been interviewed for their first midwifery posts. It is hoped that hearing about the process from both perspectives might be useful for all third-year students currently applying for their first jobs, as they get one step nearer to realising their dream of becoming a qualified midwife. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of pre-registration midwifery education is to prepare the student for the demanding and complex role they aspire to, using a range of teaching, learning and assessment strategies both in theory and practice. This article is part of a series exploring the role of clinicians as facilitators of learning in the classroom environment. This article explores the role of the bereavement midwife and discusses a teaching session conducted by bereavement midwife Tracy Rea with second-year students on the 3-year pre-registration midwifery programme. The session included input from a couple who shared their experiences of the loss of their son and their subsequent pregnancy. The article concludes with student feedback on the session, demonstrating the deep and meaningful learning that took place and confirming the value of bringing the realities of practice into the classroom environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]