References
Enhancing leadership and management skills in midwifery through optimised mentorship
Abstract
Background/Aims
Mentorship experience is a crucial aspect of midwifery students' development. Midwifery education in Brunei Darussalam aims to enhance leadership and management skills in preparation for the transition to becoming registered midwives. This study explored how mentorship experiences influenced midwifery students' preparation for leadership and management roles, as well as the challenges that impacted the effectiveness of mentorship experiences in clinical settings.
Methods
This descriptive qualitative study involved 43 final-year midwifery students from the Universiti Brunei Darussalam who contributed written essays reflecting on their readiness for leadership, clinical learning encounters and perceptions of mentorship. The essays were analysed thematically.
Results
Most students felt unprepared for leadership as they had received limited guidance and exposure to clinical settings. Mentorship experiences varied, with some finding it beneficial while others struggle to adapt, citing disparities in mentor motivation, teaching abilities and leadership styles.
Conclusions
Practical, hands-on experience is vital to developing leadership and management skills. However, students face challenges in balancing academic commitments with clinical practice, limiting their opportunities to hone their skills.
Implications for practice
A standardised mentorship programme and longer clinical attachments would allow students more time to acclimatise to healthcare environments, comprehend their role and enrich their learning journey.
Leadership and management skills, including critical thinking, decision making and prioritisation, are integral components of the daily care provided by midwives (Kebede et al, 2023). Leadership skills describe practical elements of care, including managing interactions within or across multidisciplinary team, while management skills include resource management, staff organisation and efficient direction.
The importance of leadership extends beyond clinical aspects of care and encompasses education, as emphasised by the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM, 2023). The Nursing Board for Brunei's (2013) core competency standards for registered nurses and midwives state that professionalism and competency in patient care are paramount, including proficiency in leadership and management skills. These skills not only impact patients but also the quality of communication among multidisciplinary team members and midwives in clinical settings (Folkvord et al, 2023).
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