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This paper investigates how positive and negative work-personal life interface constructs are differentially associated with intentions to stay in or leave the profession. The findings help map work-personal life interface constructs on the typology of determinants of intention to stay and intention to leave (disengagers, retainers, criticals, and neutrals). The ordered logistic regression (ologit) modelling of cross-sectional data from a representative sample (n = 601) of midwives in Canada shows that work interference with personal life is a disengager, which has a stronger association with intention to leave than with intention to stay in the profession. Among the work-personal life interface constructs, work enhancement of personal life seems to be the most critical determinant, showing the most substantive association with both intention to stay and intention to leave. This finding suggests that interventions to increase midwives' intention to stay and decrease their intention to leave should focus on amplifying the enhancing effects of working on midwives' personal lives. Interventions that aim to reduce work interference with personal life might be more effective in decreasing intention to leave the profession than increasing intention to stay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peer support is understudied as a factor that can impact midwifery student retention. Retention of midwifery students is essential for creating a sustainable maternity care workforce. Research shows that peer support positively influences students' experiences, but it needs more focus on the role peers play in student retention. We aimed to examine how peer support can facilitate midwifery students' retention by exploring the role peers play in students' experiences and identifying the types of support students offer each other. We conducted 31 semi-structured interviews with students attending Midwifery Education Programmes across Canada. Data were analysed inductively, following the constructivist grounded theory method. While motivated and engaged peers improved students' learning experiences and desire to remain in their program, peers who created an overly competitive academic environment hindered learning. Students also noted that a lack of diversity, particularly of Black and Indigenous peers, limited their ability to learn about culturally safe care. Most students felt a sense of community and relied on one another for emotional, academic, and instrumental support. Peer support has mostly positive effects on student learning and should be formalized by midwifery educators to improve retention. Reducing pressure to succeed, targeting recruitment of students who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour, and establishing formal mentorship programmes could enhance the role peers play in student retention. While retention of students is a complex issue, positive interactions with peers can create a stimulating learning environment and increase students' desire to stay in their programme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]