Evaluating the impact of short-term international midwifery elective placements

Background/Aims Midwifery students work in clinically diverse multicultural healthcare settings, so their education must provide engagement opportunities in the wider context of international healthcare. Midwifery international elective placements are one way to support this goal, but studies on midwifery students’ experiences of elective placements are limited. The aim of this study was to explore the impact of short-term midwifery international elective placements from the student perspective of learning and experience. Methods This inductive qualitative study involved a focus group conducted with five undergraduate midwifery students to capture in-depth experiences. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. Results Qualitative analysis identified three overarching themes: developing cultural awareness; personal and professional growth; and the need for ethical elective placements. Conclusions This study highlights the benefits of improving cultural awareness and personal and professional confidence, as well as the importance of ethical considerations when planning and participating in an elective placement. Implications for practice More research is required to explore the long-term impact of midwifery elective placements on the quality of midwifery care. Consideration must be given to accessibility of placement opportunities for all midwifery students and the ethical impact for the host organisation.