Challenges in Neonatal Nursing Clinical Teaching to Nurse-Midwife Technicians in Malawi

Background: Practice-based learning is important in clinical teaching of nursing and midwifery as students develop the necessary competencies and confidence aligned by the outcomes of their learning programs. However, in Malawi, research shows that clinical teaching in neonatal nursing has not been given adequate consideration. This article reports on challenges faced by educators and students in clinical teaching and learning in neonatal nursing for nurse-midwife technicians. Method: An explorative qualitative study was conducted. Data were collected through 23 focus group discussions with 140 students and 31 clinical teachers from eight nursing colleges. Audio-recorded data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using Hennink's content analysis stages. Results: Challenges faced by clinical teachers and students were short duration and variation in clinical placements, lack of emphasis in clinical teaching, and lack of skills among clinical staff. Conclusion: Nursing training institutions should maximize student learning opportunities in neonatal nursing practice by creating more practice-based learning opportunities that meet the students' needs.