Learning Ethics as Viewed by Bruneian Midwifery Students: A Thematic Analysis

Abstract

Background: There are several considerations that midwives must consider when providing care for their patients, partners, and newborns. This may give rise to nuanced ethical concerns, which entail midwives' readiness and capacity to recognise moral principles to recognise such concerns. The views of midwifery students regarding ethics education were examined in this study. Moreover, they reflected on their experiences with ethical concerns within clinical settings. Methods: The study adopted a qualitative descriptive research design. Six final-year midwifery students who had completed clinical placements were emailed open-ended interview questions. The study was approved by the University Research Ethics Committee. Participants provided digital informed consent. Results: Two broad themes were identified: (1) Adequacy in knowledge and (2) Between expectation and reality. Conclusion: The midwifery students highlight that it is critical to recognise and be cognisant of ethical issues in the clinical setting, as they are common but not always easy to identify in a complex clinical environment. Subsequently, students must acquire knowledge of ethical concerns before their clinical rotations through practical examples and scenarios that demonstrate how to identify and confront such issues.