Evaluation of a Mentor training program for midwives in two hospitals in Warsaw, Poland - a qualitative descriptive study

Abstract Background Mentoring is a recognized, but still underutilized strategy for effective clinical training of midwifery students. The success of formally recognized course-embedded mentoring depends on adequate preparation of clinical teacher to act as mentors and effective developing of their...

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Main Authors: Małgorzata Stefaniak, Ewa Dmoch-Gajzlerska
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2021-06-01
Series:BMC Medical Education
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-021-02769-7
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author Małgorzata Stefaniak
Ewa Dmoch-Gajzlerska
author_facet Małgorzata Stefaniak
Ewa Dmoch-Gajzlerska
author_sort Małgorzata Stefaniak
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Mentoring is a recognized, but still underutilized strategy for effective clinical training of midwifery students. The success of formally recognized course-embedded mentoring depends on adequate preparation of clinical teacher to act as mentors and effective developing of their mentoring skills. The aim of this study was to evaluate a Mentor Training Program for midwives, the first of its kind in Poland. Methods Twenty-one midwives who completed a dedicated Mentor Training Program organized by the Medical University of Warsaw (12–14 June 2017) participated in this study. In Stage 1, 7 days prior to the training course, the participants completed an online questionnaire that identified their motivations and expectations. In Stage 2, they assessed the training program they had completed as well as described any perceived needs of further mentor training. Subsequently a qualitative study of the data was performed using content analysis. Results In Stage 1, the participants expressed their interest in the Mentor Training Program mostly expecting to develop skills allowing them to implement mentoring in clinical training of student midwives. They were aware of the potential benefits of mentoring for hands-on instruction on the wards and wanted to gain knowledge of this strategy. In Stage 2, the overall satisfaction with the program was high, but the participants assessed their preparedness to act as midwifery mentors as inadequate. The results suggest that the Mentor Training Program should be further refined and expanded while the outcomes need to be evaluated in more detail by both new mentors and their trainers over a longer period of time, possibly after the participants have gained actual experience of mentoring in the clinical setting. Conclusion The participants described the Mentor Training Program as innovative, valuable and largely meeting their expectations. They gained knowledge of the concept of mentoring and its potential application in clinical training of midwifery students in Poland. Future mentor training programs should be expanded with a greater focus on developing, strengthening and applying mentoring skills in the clinical setting.
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spelling doaj.art-4bdc8e4e19f24be5af0e31201a40e7ba2022-12-21T20:25:22ZengBMCBMC Medical Education1472-69202021-06-0121111110.1186/s12909-021-02769-7Evaluation of a Mentor training program for midwives in two hospitals in Warsaw, Poland - a qualitative descriptive studyMałgorzata Stefaniak0Ewa Dmoch-Gajzlerska1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Didactics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of WarsawDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology Didactics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of WarsawAbstract Background Mentoring is a recognized, but still underutilized strategy for effective clinical training of midwifery students. The success of formally recognized course-embedded mentoring depends on adequate preparation of clinical teacher to act as mentors and effective developing of their mentoring skills. The aim of this study was to evaluate a Mentor Training Program for midwives, the first of its kind in Poland. Methods Twenty-one midwives who completed a dedicated Mentor Training Program organized by the Medical University of Warsaw (12–14 June 2017) participated in this study. In Stage 1, 7 days prior to the training course, the participants completed an online questionnaire that identified their motivations and expectations. In Stage 2, they assessed the training program they had completed as well as described any perceived needs of further mentor training. Subsequently a qualitative study of the data was performed using content analysis. Results In Stage 1, the participants expressed their interest in the Mentor Training Program mostly expecting to develop skills allowing them to implement mentoring in clinical training of student midwives. They were aware of the potential benefits of mentoring for hands-on instruction on the wards and wanted to gain knowledge of this strategy. In Stage 2, the overall satisfaction with the program was high, but the participants assessed their preparedness to act as midwifery mentors as inadequate. The results suggest that the Mentor Training Program should be further refined and expanded while the outcomes need to be evaluated in more detail by both new mentors and their trainers over a longer period of time, possibly after the participants have gained actual experience of mentoring in the clinical setting. Conclusion The participants described the Mentor Training Program as innovative, valuable and largely meeting their expectations. They gained knowledge of the concept of mentoring and its potential application in clinical training of midwifery students in Poland. Future mentor training programs should be expanded with a greater focus on developing, strengthening and applying mentoring skills in the clinical setting.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-021-02769-7Mentoring trainingMentorMidwifeEducationMidwifery
spellingShingle Małgorzata Stefaniak
Ewa Dmoch-Gajzlerska
Evaluation of a Mentor training program for midwives in two hospitals in Warsaw, Poland - a qualitative descriptive study
BMC Medical Education
Mentoring training
Mentor
Midwife
Education
Midwifery
title Evaluation of a Mentor training program for midwives in two hospitals in Warsaw, Poland - a qualitative descriptive study
title_full Evaluation of a Mentor training program for midwives in two hospitals in Warsaw, Poland - a qualitative descriptive study
title_fullStr Evaluation of a Mentor training program for midwives in two hospitals in Warsaw, Poland - a qualitative descriptive study
title_full_unstemmed Evaluation of a Mentor training program for midwives in two hospitals in Warsaw, Poland - a qualitative descriptive study
title_short Evaluation of a Mentor training program for midwives in two hospitals in Warsaw, Poland - a qualitative descriptive study
title_sort evaluation of a mentor training program for midwives in two hospitals in warsaw poland a qualitative descriptive study
topic Mentoring training
Mentor
Midwife
Education
Midwifery
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-021-02769-7
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