Student midwives' education needs and their experience of attending a bereavement education workshop

Background Clinical training should be efficient, intellectually rigorous, and integrated into practice. This interactive workshop was developed to support student midwives in bereavement care. Aims To improve student midwives confidence in providing bereavement care to parents after pregnancy loss and perinatal death. Methods Two focus groups were held, where students (n=12) discussed their experiences of attending the workshop, barriers and facilitators to gaining confidence, and any further education needs. Findings All students agreed that the workshop increased their confidence, and said that role-plays were the most beneficial aspect of the day. Lack of exposure and support from mentors and senior staff was seen as the largest barrier to gaining further confidence. Conclusions The results suggest that all students could benefit from a workshop to increase confidence in bereavement care. The content of this workshop can be used in other maternity settings in Ireland and is recommended for all staff members caring for parents after perinatal bereavement or pregnancy loss.