BACKGROUND:
In the current healthcare landscape, there is increasing concern about dehumanized and uncompassionate midwifery care. Arts-Based Research is associated with improved holistic healthcare practice, with reflective practice being directly linked to levels of compassion, empathy, and problem-solving. However, how midwifery students experience this is poorly understood.

OBJECTIVES:
To identify student midwives’ processes when using creativity for reflective practice in an arts-focused learning environment.

METHODS:
An observation study of thirty-two student midwives, recruited via purposive sampling attending creative reflection workshops that used collage to explore practice experiences. Workshop activities focused on arts-based methods including small group idea generation, creative visualisation, collage making, and reflective sharing. Data were reflexively thematically analysed and then mapped onto the Theoretical Domains Framework to identify reflective behavioural processes.

RESULTS:
Observations showed that arts-based teaching altered the lecturer and student interaction, flattening the hierarchy in the teaching environment. Three themes were generated: The Rhythm of Learning explored conducive reflective environments with the dynamic in creatively focused teaching differing from lectures or skill-based education, comprising of playful bursts of communal, external energy and periods of concentrated, individual focus. Diving In focused on student’s creative learning engagement and analysis in experimental forms. Practicing sharing demonstrated how collaboration facilitated reflective development, with a collegial approach enabling students to process emotional, cognitive and clinical experiences drawn from student’s personal practice.

CONCLUSIONS:
Including creativity in reflective practice teaching creates a psychologically safe environment to connect to service-user's needs through the ‘art’ of midwifery. Arts-based reflection offers new educational perspectives for learners and educators alike, developing emotional and subjective aspects of student midwives’ reflective practice.

KEY MESSAGE:
Creative reflection develops reflexivity and emotional intelligence, crucial for complex decision-making and holistic caring skills needed for students and professionals. Poster session 3 (Group B)