Social networking sites: Can midwives and nurses working with adolescent mothers harness their potential value?

AIM: This paper aims to discuss social networking sites as potentially salutogenic, culturally relevant extensions to maternity care provision for adolescent mothers. BACKGROUND: Studies report that online networking may enhance social capital, a concept linked to enhanced well-being, particularly for marginalized individuals. Improving outcomes for adolescent mothers is an ongoing global strategy; thus, this paper has relevance for all professionals involved in their care. DESIGN: This is a discussion paper. DATA SOURCES: This paper draws on the authors' research and is supported by literature and theory. Key terms and Boolean operators were used to identifiy English-language papers published in January 1995 to January 2019 in nine databases and Google Scholar databases. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: Despite limited evidence specific to adolescent mothers, contextual studies suggest that social networking sites may enhance well-being. Nurses and midwives need to understand adolescent mothers' use of online networks to aid development of innovative, health-enhancing care strategies using adolescent-familiar modalities. CONCLUSION: This paper highlights the need for further research regarding the value of professional engagement in online networks to enhance an adolescent's transition to motherhood.

'A match made in midwifery': Women's perceptions of student midwife partnerships.

PROBLEM: Little is known regarding experiences of childbearing women participating in a Continuity of Care Experience. BACKGROUND: Continuity of Care immersion is considered a vital component of undergraduate education in Australia. A student midwife follows a woman's childbearing journey regardless of the woman's individual needs or chosen model of care. QUESTION: What do women value in their student-woman continuity experience, and does this vary with model of care provision? METHODS: Qualitative analysis was conducted on open-text box responses from 946 mothers enrolled in one regional university Continuity of Care program between 2014-2018. FINDINGS: This qualitative descriptive study identified three overarching themes: 'Known student midwife'; 'Knowledge'; and, 'Professionalism'. The 'Known Student Midwife' was strongly associated with provision of support and advocacy for the woman and her partner/family. Women's responses were overwhelmingly positive, however, when some partnerships terminated, a negative impact was reported. Themes were often interlinked, suggesting when women valued one key attribute the others were somewhat related. Although rare, from some responses it was unclear if students had over-stepped professional boundaries, prompting the need for ongoing education. DISCUSSION: This study provides compelling evidence for the perceived value of the Continuity of Care Experience in Australian midwifery curricula, as well as possible areas of concern regarding the nature of professional behaviour. CONCLUSIONS: Continuity of Care immersion plays a significant role in Australian midwifery education programs and is predominantly well received by childbearing women. Development of reflexive practice skills in undergraduate curricula may further enhance this experience for women.

Nurses and midwives teaching in the academic environment: An appreciative inquiry.

BACKGROUND: The past two decades has seen significant change in nursing and midwifery education in Australia. Although, regulatory documents explicate expectations of teaching, and supervising in the context of being a nurse or midwife, the move from hospital-based to higher education learning nessitated a change in how students receive their education and who provides it. The quality of teaching by nurse or midwife academics is subject to the academic's ability to transition from a clinical educator to academic. OBJECTIVE: To explore the experiences of nurse and midwife academics teaching in the academic environment. DESIGN: Appreciative Inquiry (AI) was used to explore the experiences of academics teaching final year nursing and midwifery students. SETTING: Two regional universities in Australia. PARTICIPANTS: Seven nursing and midwifery academics teaching a unit of study focusing on mentorship, leadership and teaching. METHODS: Narrative data from interviews conducted using AI were collected, transcribed and analysed to produce themes. RESULTS: Three key themes were identified; 'Feeling valued', 'Feeling safe' and 'Having connections'. These themes and related subthemes impacted teaching experiences and role transition from experienced clinician to academic. CONCLUSION: Nursing and midwifery academics would benefit from organisational support in their role transition from clinician to academic. Further research is crucial regarding initiatives that can support academics to feel safe, valued and connected when teaching the next generation of nurses and midwives.