Ans Luyben1, Mary Barger2, Melissa Avery3, Kuldip Kaur Bharj4, Rhona O'Connell5, Valerie Fleming6, Joyce Thompson7, Della Sherratt8. 1. Department of Health Services Research, University of Liverpool, Waterhouse Blds, Block B, 1-5 Brownlow Street, Liverpool L69 3GL, England, UK; Centre for Midwifery, Maternal and Perinatal Health, Faculty of Health & Social Sciences, Bournemouth University, Bournemouth House, 19, Christchurch Road, Bournemouth, BU1 3LH, England, UK. Electronic address: Ans.Luyben@liverpool.ac.uk. 2. School of Nursing, University of San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA. Electronic address: mbarger@sandiego.edu. 3. School of Nursing, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA. Electronic address: avery003@umn.edu. 4. School of Healthcare, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Leeds, Leeds, England, UK. Electronic address: k.k.bharj@leeds.ac.uk. 5. School of Nursing and Midwifery, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland. Electronic address: r.oconnell@ucc.ie. 6. Institute of Midwifery, School of Health Professions, Zürich University of Applied Sciences ZHAW, Zürich, Switzerland. Electronic address: flem@zhaw.ch. 7. Independent Consultant, Michigan, USA. Electronic address: joycethompsonllc@gmail.com. 8. Independent Consultant, Bristol, England, UK. Electronic address: drsherratt29@gmail.com.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Midwifery education is the foundation for preparing competent midwives to provide a high standard of safe, evidence-based care for women and their newborns. Global competencies and standards for midwifery education have been defined as benchmarks for establishing quality midwifery education and practice worldwide. However, wide variations in type and nature of midwifery education programs exist. AIM: To explore and discuss the opportunities and challenges of a global quality assurance process as a strategy to promote quality midwifery education. DISCUSSION: Accreditation and recognition as two examples of quality assurance processes in education are discussed. A global recognition process, with its opportunities and challenges, is explored from the perspective of four illustrative case studies from Ireland, Kosovo, Latin America and Bangladesh. The discussion highlights that the establishment of a global recognition process may assist in promoting quality of midwifery education programs world-wide, but cannot take the place of formal national accreditation. In addition, a recognition process will not be feasible for many institutions without additional resources, such as financial support or competent evaluators. In order to achieve quality midwifery education through a global recognition process the authors present 5 Essential Challenges for Quality Midwifery Education. CONCLUSION: Quality midwifery education is vital for establishing a competent workforce, and improving maternal and newborn health. Defining a global recognition process could be instrumental in moving toward this goal, but dealing with the identified challenges will be essential.
BACKGROUND: Midwifery education is the foundation for preparing competent midwives to provide a high standard of safe, evidence-based care for women and their newborns. Global competencies and standards for midwifery education have been defined as benchmarks for establishing quality midwifery education and practice worldwide. However, wide variations in type and nature of midwifery education programs exist. AIM: To explore and discuss the opportunities and challenges of a global quality assurance process as a strategy to promote quality midwifery education. DISCUSSION: Accreditation and recognition as two examples of quality assurance processes in education are discussed. A global recognition process, with its opportunities and challenges, is explored from the perspective of four illustrative case studies from Ireland, Kosovo, Latin America and Bangladesh. The discussion highlights that the establishment of a global recognition process may assist in promoting quality of midwifery education programs world-wide, but cannot take the place of formal national accreditation. In addition, a recognition process will not be feasible for many institutions without additional resources, such as financial support or competent evaluators. In order to achieve quality midwifery education through a global recognition process the authors present 5 Essential Challenges for Quality Midwifery Education. CONCLUSION: Quality midwifery education is vital for establishing a competent workforce, and improving maternal and newborn health. Defining a global recognition process could be instrumental in moving toward this goal, but dealing with the identified challenges will be essential.
Authors: Adelais Markaki; Jacqueline Moss; Allison Shorten; Cynthia Selleck; Lori Loan; Rhonda McLain; Rebecca Miltner; Patricia Patrician; Lisa Theus; Lilian Ferrer; Fernanda Dos Santos Nogueira de Góes; Maria Teresa Valenzuela-Mujica; Rosa Zarate-Grajales; Silvia Helena De Bortoli Cassiani; Doreen Harper Journal: Rev Lat Am Enfermagem Date: 2019-12-05
Authors: Rashid U Zaman; Adiba Khaled; Muhammod Abdus Sabur; Shahidul Islam; Shehlina Ahmed; Joe Varghese; Della Sherratt; Sophie Witter Journal: Hum Resour Health Date: 2020-10-06