The Midwifery Peer Assisted Learning and Support (My PALS) Project: A mixed method evaluation of the impact of peer support in undergraduate midwifery education in the Republic of Ireland.

The transition to undergraduate higher education (HE) can be a challenging and stressful time for all students, but particularly for students of healthcare programmes. Peer mentoring (PM) has been found to be a useful support structure for first year undergraduate students in negotiating the transition to HE. This research study evaluated the impact of a peer support programme in undergraduate midwifery education using a qualitatively driven Mixed Methods Research (MMR) approach within a constructivist-pragmatic paradigm. Within this framework, a sequential explanatory design (SED) was implemented. Participants included in this study were 20 first year students (mentees) and 18 second year students (mentors) who were enrolled on a four-year undergraduate honours degree programme in midwifery education in the Republic of Ireland. <br/><br/>The findings revealed that My PALS was a useful intervention for undergraduate students entering midwifery education, supporting their transition to HE and to the profession of midwifery. Positive benefits for both mentors and mentees included enhanced relationships and friendships and the opportunity to develop valuable interpersonal skills and learn in a collaborative way in a caring environment. Overall, there was evidence of a strengthening of collegiality for the participants and an enhanced sense of belonging to the HEI and to the profession of midwifery.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

Doctorate in Midwifery Practice

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

Doctoral Thesis

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Queen's University Belfast

Year dc:date.issued

2021

Author dc:creator

• Carragher, Jean

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Lynn, Fiona
• McNeill, Jennifer

• Peer support
• mentor
• mentee
• midwifery education
• undergraduate
• student

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

oai:pure.qub.ac.uk/portal:studenttheses/acf6ebb4-77bd-46c8-a897-1128f37e8353

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:pure.qub.ac.uk/portal:studenttheses/acf6ebb4-77bd-46c8-a897-1128f37e8353