Does Enquiry Based Learning (EBL) impact on clinical practice? A qualitative exploration of midwifery graduates' perceptions.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To elicit perceptions of midwifery graduates regarding the impact of Enquiry Based Learning (EBL) on their clinical practice. DESIGN: A qualitative approach utilising semi-structured interviews and content analysis. SETTING: A midwifery education provider in the Republic of Ireland. PARTICIPANTS: Purposive sampling was employed to recruit fourteen midwifery graduates, from a total of twenty eight, from two cohorts who had successfully completed a Higher Diploma in Midwifery programme. FINDINGS: Findings centred on the theme 'Effect of EBL on clinical practice', with positive perceptions of EBL reported in relation to its connexion to midwifery practice. CONCLUSIONS: Findings affirm the view that EBL augments linkage of theory to clinical practice in addition to linking clinical practice to theory. Consequently, competent practitioners are cultivated and an array of transferable skills developed, thus demonstrating the significant contribution of EBL in enriching clinical practice.