Problem Solving Skills in Midwifery Students: A Systematic Review

Objective: This systematic review aims to synthesize the findings of studies examining midwifery students' problem-solving skills and to present the current situation. This systematic review aims to synthesize the findings of studies examining the problem-solving skills of midwifery students in Turkiye and to present the current state of these skills. Materials and Method: In this study, PubMed/Medline, Cochrane Database, UptoDate, Embase, Google Scholar, Science Direct and CINAHL databases were searched using the keywords “midwifery” and “problem solving” between 2013 and 2024. A total of 19,994 articles were reviewed by title and abstract, and 12 studies that met the inclusion criteria were included in the systematic review. Results: This study highlights the need to strengthen educational strategies aimed at enhancing nursing students' problem-solving skills. To help students address various clinical and theoretical challenges more effectively, it is crucial to adopt new approaches that focus on developing these skills. Additionally, improving educators' problem-solving competencies will enable them to guide students better and promote independent thinking. Intervention studies could help students acquire these skills earlier, enabling them to overcome clinical challenges more successfully. Such research will be valuable for evaluating innovative educational approaches and improving teaching methods. Conclusion: It was concluded that educational strategies to improve midwifery students' problem solving skills should be strengthened. Future longitudinal and intervention studies may contribute to evaluate the long-term effects of educational programs on problem solving skills.