Page 201 - S. Ličen, I. Karnjuš, & M. Prosen (Eds.). (2019). Women, migrations and health: Ensuring transcultural healthcare. Koper, University of Primorska Press.
P. 201
Culturally Sound Midwifery Care for
Migrant Mothers: How Well the Midwifery
Curriculum Prepares Graduates
Ana Polona Mivšek
University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
polona.mivsek@zf.uni-lj.si
Nastja Pavel
University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
nastja.pavel@zf.uni-lj.si
Mateja Kusterle
General Hospital Jesenice
mateja.kusterle@zf.uni-lj.si
Petra Petročnik
University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
petra.petrocnik@zf.uni-lj.si
There are no publicly available data on how many migrant mothers in Slove-
nia are cared for during pre-, intra- and post-natal period. Nevertheless, with
the refugees’ situation during the years 2016–2018, Slovenia faced a challenge
where not only quality but also culturally sensitive midwifery care was of cru-
cial importance. Foreign midwifery curriculums emphasize cultural competen-
cies of graduates, however; there has not been any study conducted in or-
der to evaluate Slovene midwifery students’ cultural awareness. Therefore, a
study was performed among the final year midwifery students using a Cultural
Awareness Scale (CAS). The findings reveal that the current curriculum lacks
specific information on cultural competencies; nevertheless the students ex-
pressed high levels of cultural awareness. Midwifery teachers were described
as positive role models and it could be estimated that also indirect teaching,
using good examples, can be a way students successfully learn cultural aware-
ness.
Introduction
Anthropologists find it very difficult to define culture because the term itself
is very complex in meaning, underpinned also with political or ideological
agendas (Spencer-Oatey, 2012). Hundreds of definitions have been written
so far, but for the purpose of our project the one by Spencer-Oatey (2008,
p. 3) is cited: ‘Culture is a fuzzy set of basic assumptions and values, orien-
199
Migrant Mothers: How Well the Midwifery
Curriculum Prepares Graduates
Ana Polona Mivšek
University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
polona.mivsek@zf.uni-lj.si
Nastja Pavel
University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
nastja.pavel@zf.uni-lj.si
Mateja Kusterle
General Hospital Jesenice
mateja.kusterle@zf.uni-lj.si
Petra Petročnik
University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
petra.petrocnik@zf.uni-lj.si
There are no publicly available data on how many migrant mothers in Slove-
nia are cared for during pre-, intra- and post-natal period. Nevertheless, with
the refugees’ situation during the years 2016–2018, Slovenia faced a challenge
where not only quality but also culturally sensitive midwifery care was of cru-
cial importance. Foreign midwifery curriculums emphasize cultural competen-
cies of graduates, however; there has not been any study conducted in or-
der to evaluate Slovene midwifery students’ cultural awareness. Therefore, a
study was performed among the final year midwifery students using a Cultural
Awareness Scale (CAS). The findings reveal that the current curriculum lacks
specific information on cultural competencies; nevertheless the students ex-
pressed high levels of cultural awareness. Midwifery teachers were described
as positive role models and it could be estimated that also indirect teaching,
using good examples, can be a way students successfully learn cultural aware-
ness.
Introduction
Anthropologists find it very difficult to define culture because the term itself
is very complex in meaning, underpinned also with political or ideological
agendas (Spencer-Oatey, 2012). Hundreds of definitions have been written
so far, but for the purpose of our project the one by Spencer-Oatey (2008,
p. 3) is cited: ‘Culture is a fuzzy set of basic assumptions and values, orien-
199
