Speaker: Lynnelle Moran
Facilitator: Caitlin Goodwin
How do professional connections and relationships impact midwives wellbeing and career sustainability?
In this presentation, Lynnelle will share preliminary findings from her Grounded Theory study. How do professional connections and relationships impact midwives wellbeing and career sustainability?
Emerging findings highlight the importance, value and protective nature of professional connections for midwives, as well as the vulnerabilities that form in their absence. The data demonstrates that regardless of career stage, the strength of midwives relationships and connections is intrinsic to their sustainability and wellbeing.
Glaserian Grounded Theory was used in this study. In-depth interviews were conducted with 29 Midwives from across Australia to capture a depth of understanding of how collegial relationships impact across the career continuum.
Participants describe how the absence of connection in midwifery is taking a personal and professional toll, resulting in psychological and physical impacts such as feelings of disconnection, disillusionment, isolation, fear and dread, all of which have a strong correlation with absenteeism, reduction of shifts, and attrition.
In contrast, participants who experience a practice environment that supports and values professional connections and relationships reported high levels of professional satisfaction, collaborative interdisciplinary teams, role understanding, autonomy, trust and support to practice to their full midwifery scope, and to continue to develop professionally and explore diverse career paths in midwifery.
Conclusively, participants viewed relationships and connections as vital to their sustainability in midwifery and to their psychological and physical wellbeing. These emerging findings point to an urgent need to recognise and legitimise the importance of connection and professional relationships for midwives to sustain and thrive within the profession.
Speaker: Jessie Johnson-Cash
Facilitator: Mutiara Dien Safitri
Background: Midwifery students juggle academic pressures, personal obligations, and the transition to clinical practice, often leading to burnout and stress. Activities that build resilience are beneficial in facilitating student engagement and promoting emotional wellbeing.
Objectives: This study evaluates the effectiveness of Student Midwife Support Circles (SMSC) as a co-curricular peer support activity, in building a sense of belonging and professional identity, and developing emotional wellbeing.
Methods: Participants were recruited from past and current midwifery students at a regional Australian university. A mixed-method approach used a cross-sectional online survey and individual interviews. Quantitative data (n=31) was reported as descriptives and compared based on attendance at the SMSCs. Qualitative data from both the survey (n=31) and interviews (n=3) was analysed using thematic analysis.
Results: Compared to students (n=9) who had not attended SMSCs, students who attended any number of SMSCs (n=22) reported greater compassion satisfaction and slightly higher self-efficacy. In addition, attendance significantly improved students’ views that support groups reduced stress whilst on placements, improved belonging to the profession and in becoming a better midwife, and increased student well-being. The thematic analysis confirmed these results, and the value of an academic run the support group.
Conclusions: Students who have been to any number of SMSCs have much more favourable views of the usefulness of these groups and there is some improvement in the satisfaction of care they provide and their confidence in dealing with challenges.
Speakers: Angelica Mercedes Lozano Rivera, Marlene Magallanes Corimanya & Lalescka Araceli Soria Gonzales
Facilitator: Marcela Mendoza
Introduccion: La anticoncepción postaborto es vital para reducir embarazos no deseados y prevenir la mortalidad materna.
Objetivo: Determinar si la nacionalidad y la edad están asociadas con el uso de anticonceptivos prescritos en el postaborto, tras un seguimiento de seis meses.
Metodos: Se realizaun estudio observacional analitico con mujeres que aceptaron un mettodo anticonceptivo inmediatamente despues de un aborto en un hospital publico peruano (N = 399). De ellas, se contactó telefónicamente a 175 participantes seis meses después.
Resultados: Solo el 39,42% de las mujeres mantuvo el uso del método anticonceptivo. Se hallo una asociacion significativa entre la edad (p = 0,049) y la nacionalidad venezolana (p = 0,043) con el uso de metodos anticonceptivos seis meses despues del aborto.
Conclusion: Seis meses después del alta hospitalaria, se observa una asociación entre el uso de métodos anticonceptivos postaborto y las variables edad y nacionalidad.
Introduction: Post-abortion contraception is vital to reduce unwanted pregnancies and prevent maternal mortality.
Objective: To determine whether nationality and age are associated with the use of prescribed contraceptives in the post-abortion period, after a six-month follow-up.
Methods: An analytical observational study was conducted with women who accepted a contraceptive method immediately after an abortion in a Peruvian public hospital (N = 399). Of these, 175 participants were contacted by telephone six months later.
Results: Only 39.42% of the women continued using the contraceptive method. A significant association was found between age (p = 0.049) and Venezuelan nationality (p = 0.043) with the use of contraceptive methods six months after the abortion.
Conclusion: Six months after hospital discharge, an association was observed between the use of post-abortion contraceptive methods and the variables age and nationality.
Check time in your country https://bit.ly/VIDM25-session-05
Speakers: Rachael Ame Maima and Linda Deys
Facilitator: Caroline Maringa/Nyambura
Maternal and newborn mortality rates in Papua New Guinea are among the highest in the world, with around 170 deaths for every 100, 000 women and 20 neonatal deaths per 1000 live births each year. The causes for many of these deaths are preventable or treatable when women have equal access to safe, quality health care. Lack of midwives and resources increases the impact for remote communities but also for those living in cities such as Port Moresby.
In April 2024 the fourth group of the PNG Midwifery Leadership Buddy Project met in Port Moresby with 14 PNG and 7 Australian midwifery mentors, aiming to improve maternal and newborn outcomes in PNG. This twinning program of the PNG Midwifery Society and the Australian College of Midwives is funded by Rotary and informed by the ICM Member Association Capacity Assessment Tool (MACAT). PNG buddies identified quality improvement projects within their workplaces, with the Australian midwives supporting the development of leadership and advocacy skills for the projects to be completed.
This presentation will introduce one of the 2024 buddy relationships and project which aimed to increase the known haemoglobin level of women accessing antenatal care in a clinic in Port Moresby. It will describe the importance of a known Hb and demonstrate the processes, challenges, successes and setbacks experienced and highlight the importance of resilience and patience. It will emphasise how professional midwifery connections and mentorship can promote leadership, improve maternity outcomes, and strengthen the role of midwives across countries.
