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Midwifery students in Australia are required to care for a minimum of 10 women in
a continuity of care experience (CoCE) as part of their pre-registration midwifery
program. Clinical outcomes for women receiving care from midwifery students may be
documented by students in portfolios or ePortfolios but are rarely reported. The extent
to which students value add to women’s care is unknown.
This novel study used a retrospective descriptive design to evaluate the routinely
collected clinical outcomes of women who had participated in a CoCE with a midwifery
student (n = 5972 during pregnancy and n = 3933 during labour and birth) in one Australian
BMid program between 2015 and 2020. The clinical outcomes collected and reported by
students were compared with the National Core Maternity Indicators. Clinical outcomes
were analysed for (1) women in a CMC primary model and who had a CoCE; (2) women in
fragmented primary model of care and who had a CoCE; and (3) a comparison of clinical
outcomes for women according to their model of care.
The analyses revealed that women who had a CoCE with a midwifery student experienced
equal to, or better clinical outcomes than national outcomes. In particular, tobacco
smoking after 20 weeks of pregnancy, fourth degree tears and episiotomy rates were
reduced for women who had CoCE with a midwifery student.
Greatest benefit of CoCE with midwifery students was achieved when care began earlier
in pregnancy. It is recommended that midwifery students commence CoCE as early as
possible in pregnancy and that pre-registration midwifery programs extend and develop
CoCE to maximise benefits for students and women.
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© 2022 Published by Elsevier Inc.
