Hamilton Campus
Caird building, room 3.29 Almada Street
Hamilton ML3 0JB
Email: simone.hertig@uws.ac.uk Tel: 07511 443515
PARTICIPANT INFORMATION SHEET
Title of study: Exploring the role of the mentor in the practice learning experience of student midwives: A qualitative study.
You are being invited to take part in a research study. Before you decide, it is important for you to understand why the research is being done and what it will involve. Please take time to read the following information carefully and discuss it with others if you wish. Please contact Simone Hertig if you would like more information.
What is the purpose of the study?
The purpose of this study is to explore the role of a clinical mentor from a students´ point of view. Current student midwives at the University of the West of Scotland from all three years are invited to take part in the study. The study is part of the researcher´s work towards a Master of Health Sciences degree with the University of the West of Scotland in cooperation with the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences.
Why have you been invited?
The University of the West of Scotland has a high interest to ensure and improve their midwifery study programme. The mentor-student relationship plays a central role in the education of midwives. However, research has not identified yet what essential characteristics, behaviours and skills are that midwife students appreciate in their midwife mentors. The study hopes to gain a better understanding of how support from student midwives for student midwives should look like. Results can be used to improve future mentor-student relationships.
You have been invited to participate because you are a current midwife student at UWS. A maximum of 20 students will take part in the study.
77 Do I have to take part?
No. It is up to you to decide whether or not to take part. If you are interested in taking part you should contact Simone Hertig (details above) within 2 weeks of you receiving this information sheet and dated cover letter. She will answer any questions you may have and ask you to sign a consent form. If you decide to take part you are still free to withdraw at any time and without giving a reason.
If you withdraw from the study you have the right to ask that any information collected about you be destroyed. A decision to withdraw at any time, or a decision not to take part, will not affect your study career. Your teachers and mentors will not be informed about your participation in the study.
What will happen to me if I take part?
If you consent to taking part in the study you will be invited to meet with the researcher. You will then be interviewed and asked to talk about your opinion, thoughts and experiences of clinical mentors in practice learning. The researcher is interested in all aspects of the student’s experiences.
The face-to-face interview will take place on campus at a time and venue convenient to you. The interview will last between 30 and 45 minutes, depending on how much you want to tell.
The conversation will be recorded on tape with your consent. This is only for my recall of what you have said. No one else will have access to this recording. If you don´t agree, field notes will be taken.
You are able to discontinue the interview and withdraw from the study at anytime.
What are the possible disadvantages and risks of taking part?
There are no risks involved but you may not feel comfortable talking about your personal experiences and thoughts with an unknown person.
It might be interesting for you that the researcher is not a permanent staff of UWS but is only here for the duration of this study. Furthermore, the researcher does not know any of the mentors.
78 What are the possible benefits of taking part?
There are no direct benefits for you to take part in the study. However, you will be contributing to new research regarding the concept of mentorship in midwifery.
Results of this study may improve future mentor-student relationships and therefore the quality of practice learning experience for midwifery at UWS and possibly beyond.
What if something goes wrong?
Since the study is recording a conversation, no risks or harm to you are anticipated. In case of any unexpected event the researcher may decide to stop recording the session e.g. you become unwell. Referral to your personal tutor can be provided in case the conversation moves you and you would like to speak to a professional.
If you wish to complain or have any concerns about any aspect of the way you have been approached during the course of this study, please contact first the researcher or the study supervisor (Dr Jean Rankin 07720948534).
Will my taking part in this study be kept confidential?
All information collected about you during the course of the research will be kept strictly confidential, known only to the research team and stored in accordance with the Data Protection Act (1998). Information obtained will remain confidential and stored in a locked cabinet or on a password protected PC accessible only by the research team. The audio recordings made during this study will be used only for analysis and will be destroyed once the analysis is completed. No one outside the study will be allowed access to the original recordings. All other data will be kept securely for 5 years following the study then destroyed.
What will happen to the results of the research study?
It is intended that the results of the study will be published. A summary will be made available to you prior to publication or any presentation of the results. Verbal quotes you make may be published or included in the researcher’s final dissertation but you will not be identified in these reports or publications.
79 Who is organising and funding the research?
The research study is being organised by Simone Hertig as part of the work towards her Master of Health Sciences degree. The study is sponsored by the University of the West of Scotland. There are no additional funds available for this study.
Who has reviewed the study?
This study has been approved by the University of the West of Scotland Ethics Committee.
Thank you for taking time to read this participant information sheet, which you may keep. If you decide to take part in the study you will also be given a signed copy of the consent form to keep.
Contact details
If you would like to take part in the study or require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact: Simone Hertig via e-mail simone.hertig@uws.ac.uk or phone 07511443515.
If you would like to contact someone other than the researcher, please phone the researcher’s academic supervisor Dr Jean Rankin on 07720948534.
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