Interprofessional learning at a birthing unit: a focused ethnographic study

Midwives in birthing units manage low-risk births and collaborate with physicians in case of complications. Interprofessional learning fosters collaboration and improves care quality; however, research on interprofessional learning in birth units remains limited. This study aims to examine how interprofessional learning may emerge in a birthing unit from a student perspective, when a midwifery student and a medical student are supervised together by a midwife. The study design is focused ethnography. Data were collected through participant observation and semi-structured interviews. The findings reveal that interprofessional learning varies based on whether the students are in the birthing room or at the midwifery station. At the midwifery station, students collaborate actively, and benefit from each other's expertise. By contrast, within the birthing room, the dynamic shifts: the midwifery student takes on an active role, while the medical student adopts a passive position, resulting in little or no communication and collaboration between them. The findings indicate that for successful implementation of interprofessional learning at a birthing unit, it is essential to clarify students' role expectations from the outset. To prevent passivity in medical students, preceptors must actively involve and support them in practical participation in the birthing room.