Global Midwifery Mentorship: Building Capacity Through Connection

The book begins by exploring the history of mentoring and its relationship to education and practice. Theories and models of mentorship, education and leadership within the context of midwifery will be discussed, along with the importance of critical thinking and reflection. The editors use the lens of global mentoring to focus on how mentoring in midwifery has developed and been implemented in 15 countries from North and Central America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australasia. Each chapter explores regulation, professional accountability, education, leadership and career pathways in the country in question.

This international text draws on the perspectives of Australian mentors, mentees, healthcare organisations and academics to highlight the complexities of mentorship in real work midwifery practice, and includes a chapter discussing how to take cultural considerations into question. The final chapters draw on the previous discussion to make recommendations that will support midwifery to implement and sustain a successful and supportive mentorship program for the next generation of midwives.

In this book, authors often refer to midwives as women to reflect the gendered nature of subordination of midwifery. While most midwives globally are women providing care to women, not all midwives in Mexico or globally identify as women. We acknowledge and celebrate the diverse identities of midwives, as this is the best way to build an environment that guarantees enabling sexual and reproductive care for all people who need midwives. Further, the term First Nations which is used is a collective term that refers to Indigenous Australian and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of Australia. First Nations peoples will refer to themselves by any of these terms and may also identify through language groups. This term is used in acknowledgement that First Nations peoples have the right of self-determination to identify however they choose to do so.

This book is an invaluable read for midwifery students, educators and practitioners.