Uncertainty and Flexibility: Midwifery students' experience during the COVID-19 pandemic in Aotearoa New Zealand

Introduction: The initial COVID-19 lockdown in Aotearoa New Zealand (Aotearoa NZ) in 2020, likely resulted in significant disruption to maternity care and midwifery education. Therefore, we asked the question, “What was the experience of student midwives studying and providing maternity care during the COVID-19 pandemic in Aotearoa NZ?” Aim: Our aim was to explore the impact of the 2020 lockdown phase of the COVID-19 pandemic for student midwives in Aotearoa NZ. Method: This qualitative descriptive study used semi-structured interviews to explore the impact of alert levels 3 and 4 COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020. Inductive thematic analysis was used to identify codes and generate themes and sub-themes from the interview transcripts. Findings: Seven midwifery students described their experiences from which two overall themes were identified. The first of these was Uncertainty in which participants described insecurity, loss of control, isolation and constant worry. On the positive side they described Flexibility and Resilience – the ability to be flexible as they moved to more frequent use of online platforms, which provided connection with their peers; and resilience where the pandemic was considered beneficial by some for the future as it built their ability to face unanticipated challenges in their midwifery practice. Conclusion: During a pandemic, anxiety, isolation and insecurity are common and our participants felt additional institutional support for student midwives was required. We concluded that it is essential to acknowledge the anxiety and individual needs of all students and check in with them regarding their physical and mental wellbeing. Setting up online platforms and facilitating connections between tutors and peers may provide more structural support.