Practice assessment documentation for midwifery programmes: a scoping review

Background: Practice assessment documentation is a critical component of midwifery education globally, to ensure students meet regulatory standards for clinical proficiency. However, variations in documentation, grading criteria, and assessor interpretation have led to inconsistencies in student assessment. This scoping review maps existing literature evaluating midwifery practice assessment documentation, synthesises the evidence, and identifies gaps. Methods: A scoping review was conducted following the JBI methodology, including searches in CINAHL, MEDLINE, Embase, MIDIRS, Web of Science, Scopus, APA PsycInfo, and Education Research Complete. Gray literature sources, reference lists, and systematic review databases were also screened. Studies evaluating midwifery practice assessment documentation in clinical education across Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the UK, and EU member states were included. Data extraction followed a narrative synthesis approach. Results: Nine articles met the inclusion criteria, including seven primary research articles, one national report, and one conference presentation. Key themes identified included validity and reliability of documentation and assessment tools, training, time, language and consistency. Several articles highlighted the need for nationalised assessment tools, with some evidence suggesting that standardisation can improve reliability and feedback quality. Conclusion: The review highlights ongoing challenges in midwifery assessment, emphasising the need for standardised, user-friendly documentation that ensures consistency and reliability. Ensuring that midwifery assessment effectively captures both clinical competencies and professional attitudes is essential to fostering well-rounded, competent practitioners ready to meet the demands of contemporary midwifery practice. While nationalised tools show promise, further research is required to assess their impact on student learning and assessor’ confidence.