gms | German Medical Science

Background: The reform of the Hebammengesetz (HebG) is accompanied by numerous changes in the vocational training of midwives. In addition to the mandatory supervision by midwifery vocational instructors, the greatest part of the vocational training continues to be provided by registered midwives (RMs) working in maternity wards. Consequently, the quality of the learning experience of the students mostly depends on RMs. Meanwhile, for the parents-to-be, childbirth is a significant life experience. Therefore, RMs offering intrapartum care should not additionally undertake the task of vocational training in order to ensure quality care for the family as well.

Methods: With this qualitative research we aimed to explore how vocational midwifery training during childbirth is conducted by midwifery vocational instructors and which key factors lead to a successful vocational training and ensure the acquisition of the essential competences for midwifery practice. In depth individual interviews were conducted with seven RMs nationwide. Semi-structured open-ended questions were used, taking into account aspects of research ethics. Kuckartz’s qualitative content analysis approach was chosen, which was aided by the MAXQDA 2020 qualitative data analysis tool.

Results: Three of the interviewees were midwifery vocational instructors and four had not yet completed their training as vocational instructors. Our results show that the existing vocational training conditions influence the midwifery vocational instruction. More specifically, RMs with and without further training do not offer a competence-oriented training but a duty-oriented one, without specific concept and structure. Additionally, a few delivery rooms offer ideal conditions to promote midwifery vocational training but uniform quality criteria do not exist. Lastly, discussions regarding the complexity of the midwifery vocational training do not take place.

Conclusion: The legal requirements for practical training cannot be implemented without reforming the institutional framework. For the development of uniform quality criteria, concepts from the nursing vocational training can be used as a guide and be integrated for the evaluation of the HebG 2035. Until then, quality criteria for the midwifery vocational training can be established by the federal states, in cooperation with universities and maternity wards/hospitals. Moreover, reflection processes on antinomies in the delivery room, on the professional self-image and on one’s own attitude against the background of vocational training could be stimulated by supervision, further training and team meetings. To ensure that high quality learning processes can take place and midwifery students can be trained for long-term work. Lastly, the results of this study stress the necessity for further research regarding midwifery pedagogy in Germany.

Ethics and conflicts of interest: This abstract was written in the context of a master’s thesis. There was an ethical clearing. The research was financed by own resources. There are no conflicts of interest.