2019 Volume 33 Issue 1 Pages 38-49
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to explore practicum instructors' actions for and perceptions of how they promoted noticing and interpreting data for novice midwives in relationship to clinical judgment during women's deliveries.
Methods
This was a qualitative, descriptive study using participant observation and semi-structured interview with eight pairs of practicum instructors and novice midwives in three hospitals from the Kanto region. Participant observation focused on the scene where the practicum instructors educated novice midwives. After participant observation, practicum instructors were individually interviewed using the semi-structured interview. Data source triangulation from the participant observation educational scenes and the interviews were content analyzed and integrated.
Results
We extracted four educational scenes to promote noticing and interpreting data. The theme of educational scenes promoting noticing were to: (1) utilize without missing opportunities; (2) teach how to notice using the five senses, and (3) encourage their independent noticing. The theme of educational scenes promoting interpreting data was to use questions to promote reasoning skills.
Conclusion
The practicum instructors used every opportunity to encourage the novice midwives to notice the pregnant women's status using their five senses and to independently notice the pregnant women's changing status with delivery. Then, they promoted novice midwives thinking using skillful questioning. In order to promote noticing and interpreting data of novice midwives, it was suggested that the practicum instructors should be able to consider the timing suitable for teaching, educate novice midwives to use their five senses to feel the status of pregnant women and to encourage them to expand their thinking and interpreting data through skillful questioning.
