Psychological stressors affecting midwifery students in clinical education: a systematic review

Abstract

Background

Midwives play a significant role in reducing maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. As such, providing high-quality, low-stress clinical training is crucial to the professional development of midwifery students. Identification and resolution of psychological stressors are crucial to improve training programs and, in turn, maternal and neonatal health outcomes. The current study examines the psychological stressors experienced by midwifery students during their clinical training.

Materials and methods

This systematic review included 11 cross-sectional studies selected using the PRISMA checklist. Relevant literature was retrieved from Medline, Embase, CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases, covering publications from 1990 to 2024. Keywords such as"midwifery," "education," "psychological stress," and "student," along with their MeSH equivalents, were used. Study selection and data extraction were conducted independently by two researchers. The methodological quality of the included studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale.

Results

The main categories of stress-related factors in midwifery clinical education identified in this review were: (1) Interpersonal Challenges and Inadequate Student Support; (2) Environmental and individual stressors; (3) Structural and educational challenges; and (4) The mediating role of personal and personality traits in clinical stress.

Conclusion

Psychological stress experienced by midwifery students in clinical settings is a significant challenge. This stress arises from humiliating interactions, lack of support, gaps in education and structure, as well as environmental and individual stressors. Identifying these stressors is crucial for developing targeted interventions that can enhance students' clinical learning and ultimately improve midwifery education.