Antenatal group consultations: Facilitating patient-patient education.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This article investigates the perspectives of pregnant women attending antenatal group consultations to gain their understandings of whether and how peer learning is facilitated in this setting. METHODS: We conducted semi-structured individual interviews with 16 women who had participated in group consultations at Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark, and analysed the data using qualitative content analysis. Our research design also included observations and patient guest book data. RESULTS: Women who were pregnant for the first time greatly appreciated the experiential knowledge of multiparous women in the group. Group consultations provided new learning opportunities, as individuals' questions prompted learning within the groups, as well as questions and answers. There was more time for reflection in group consultations than in dyadic communication. Midwives played a key role in facilitating peer learning. Some topics were not deemed appropriate for discussion. CONCLUSION: Antenatal group consultations can support learning, as individuals participate positively both in their own knowledge acquisition and that of others. We call such peer learning patient-patient education. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Our study indicates the strengths of group consultations for learning from the perspective of the group members. It highlights how learning may be facilitated in group consultations, and thus has broad practical relevance.