Developing the future of midwifery education : a tool to explore perceptions of professional doctorate education in small–resource contexts

Abstract

Background: Professional Doctorate (PD) programmes offer a distinctive route for advancing midwifery practice and leadership. However, there is a lack of validated instruments that capture the perceptions of midwives and nurses, particularly in a way that reflects diverse educational and professional contexts.

Aim: This study aimed to identify the key components that underpin the development of a PD programme and to design and conduct a preliminary validation of a questionnaire intended to explore the perceptions of PD education in midwifery.

Methods: An exploratory sequential mixed–methods design was employed. In the initial qualitative phase, interviews were conducted with academic coordinators and leads of existing PD programmes across multiple institutions in the United Kingdom. Insights from these interviews informed the item generation for a new questionnaire. A panel of subject experts reviewed content and face validity of this questionnaire, and internal consistency was assessed to establish reliability.

Results: Qualitative analysis supported the development of a structured, self–administered questionnaire, the Perspectives on a Professional Doctorate in Education for Midwifery and Nursing (P–PRODEMN). The instrument demonstrated promising initial validity and acceptable internal consistency within this preliminary sample. Seven essential domains were identified as central to PD programme design and delivery: programme structure, candidate selection, learning outcomes, supervision and support, implementation challenges and enabling factors, quality assurance, and sustainability.

Conclusion: This study introduces a novel, evidence–informed questionnaire for evaluating perceptions of PD education in midwifery and nursing. The P–PRODEMN tool is conceptually robust and can be adaptable to varied educational settings, offering value to institutions aiming to develop or refine PD programmes that meet contemporary professional and academic expectations.