Professional confidence among Swedish final year midwifery students - A cross-sectional study

- Swedish midwifery students need more training in obstetrical emergency situations. Simulations or more practice may increase confidence for students.
- Professional confidence is of importance for becoming a midwife. Confidence influences everyone and it has a sense of feeling safe incorporated.
- Swedish midwifery education needs to change to meet the expectations of midwifery students. It is time to extend the education so it offers the students a possibility to learn in a less stressful environment.
- Despite the need for training in obstetrical emergency situations, does the Swedish midwifery students need to relay on normality and “women centered care” as underlying principle in the profession.

ObjectivePrevious international studies have shown that midwifery students do not feel confident in many areas where they are supposed to practice independently.The knowledge about Swedish midwifery students' confidence is fairly under investigated. The purpose of the present study was to explore final years' midwifery students' professional confidence in basic midwifery skills according to ICM competencies and associated factors.MethodsA cross-sectional survey where all midwifery programs in Sweden were invited to participate. Data was collected by a questionnaire that measured midwifery students self-reported assessment of confidence against four selected domains of ICM competencies; antenatal, intrapartum, postpartum and new-born care.ResultThe main findings of this study showed that Swedish midwifery students were confident in managing normal pregnancy, labour and birth. Midwifery students at a school with a medical faculty were more confident in handling obstetric emergency situations. Some background variables were also associated with confidence.ConclusionThis study highlighted some midwifery skills that needs further training and reflection. More training and developing confidence in complicated and emergency situations are needed. There seem to be a need of midwifery education reforms if we believe that high levels of confidence at the time of graduation is equal to competent and skilled midwives in the future.