Exploring the STEP-uP to practice: A survey of UK Lead Midwives for Education views of the STudent midwife Extended Practice Placement during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: to assess the effect of implementation of the extended placement option available to midwifery students during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. DESIGN: Online survey open from 2nd June 2020 to 15th July 2020. SETTING: United Kingdom. PARTICIPANTS: Lead Midwives for Education (LMEs). FINDINGS: A total of 38 of 55 LMEs responded (response rate 69%). The majority of Approved Education Institutions (AEIs) offered an extended placement to students, but with some variation in the choices offered, unrelated to geographical location or size of student cohort. AEIs appeared to provide the majority of decisional support for students. Many practice learning environments became unavailable, particularly community, gynaecology/medical wards and neonatal units. LMEs experienced both internal and external pressures to instigate rapid change. KEY CONCLUSIONS: The impact of COVID-19 on midwifery education is significant and will need continual scrutiny to minimise future detriment. The pressures of providing midwifery education throughout the early phase of COVID-19 were substantial, but it is important that we learn from the immediate changes made, value and pursue the changes that have been beneficial, and learn from those that were not. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE/RESEARCH: Student learning experiences have undergone significant change during the pandemic. It is essential to assess what effect the extended placement has had on student readiness for practice, their confidence, resilience, mental health, and attrition and retention. Educators transitioned to remote working, and rapidly assimilated new skills for online education; exploration of the impact of this is recommended.

Student experiences of COVID

The RCM made safeguarding education a priority during the pandemic - RCM policy advisor Charlotte Wilson and head of education and learning Carmel Lloyd explain why In January 2021, the NMC, at the request of the secretary of state for health and social care, agreed to reintroduce an emergency standard for nursing students to undertake extended paid placements. For more information and resources, visit bit.ly/RCM-safeguarding-education i-learn student survival guide: bit.ly/i-learn-survival-guide Fiona Howard, 29, IS IN HER SECOND YEAR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF PLYMOUTH The pandemic hit halfway through my first year, so we missed out on 16 weeks of clinical practice. COVID-19 restrictions mean we've only been in uni once for the best part of a year to do neonatal life support training. Letting go of expectations has been one of the most difficult aspects - 1 especially as all through the application stage I was following student midwives sharing their experiences on social media.