Abstract
Background: Student midwives in the United Kingdom face mental health challenges due to academic and clinical demands. The implementation of the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s ‘Standards for Student Supervision and Assessment’ altered practice learning by replacing named mentors with multiple practice supervisors, disrupting continuity and potentially contributing to burnout and threatening wellbeing.
Aim: To determine the impact of continuity of supervision on midwifery students’ mental wellbeing and burnout.
Methods: A cross-sectional correlational study using an online survey distributed via Higher Education Institutions, social media, and professional networks. Measures included demographic data, Depression Anxiety Stress Scales, Copenhagen Burnout Inventory, and continuity of supervision indicators. Analysis included descriptive statistics, group comparisons, and multiple regression analyses.
Findings: Data was collected from 213 student midwives. Of these, 45.1%, 62% and 51.2% reported depressive symptoms, anxiety, and stress responses respectively. Burnout was widespread, affecting 75.6% personally, 58.7% work-related, and 10.8% client-related. Lack of Practice Supervisor continuity correlated with higher scores. Significant results were indicated for depression (p<0.001), anxiety (p 0.008), stress (p 0.001), personal burnout (p<0.001), work burnout (p<0.001) and client burnout (p 0.003). A regression analysis identified that lack of practice supervisor continuity, advancing year of study, previous mental health diagnoses, and thoughts of leaving the programme were significant predictors of wellbeing and burnout outcomes.
Discussion and Conclusion: Continuity of supervision acts as a protective factor against mental ill-health and burnout among student midwives. The findings emphasise the need for targeted support strategies, improved supervision models, and institutional accountability to foster sustainable midwifery education.