Thesis
Strengthening Connections: Trauma informed care Education for Midwives
Southern Cross University
Masters by Thesis, Southern Cross University
2024
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25918/thesis.425
Metrics
30 File views/ downloads
87 Record Views
Abstract
Background
Childbirth can be traumatising for women. Perinatal trauma is associated with impaired short and long-term biopsychosocial outcomes for both mother and child, including post-natal depression, attachment pathology, and impaired child health and development. Midwives are well placed to address women’s experiences of trauma in childbirth and its sequelae by providing trauma-informed care. Trauma-informed care is a practice framework that prioritises both physical and psychological safety; it is a patient-centred approach that recognises the prevalence of trauma and its impact whilst focusing on clinician skill to respond compassionately and to integrate this knowledge.
Method
The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of trauma-informed care education on midwives’ attitude aligned to trauma-informed care. Empowerment Theory formed the foundation of this research methodology. A static group comparison design was adopted with a convenience sample of midwives to analyse differences in attitudes towards trauma-informed care between midwives who received a 2-day trauma-informed care education (n = 19, intervention group) and their peers who did not receive the education (n = 18, comparison group). It was envisaged that the results of this study would provide information on the effectiveness of trauma-informed care to change midwives’ knowledge and attitudes towards providing trauma-informed care midwifery practice.
Results
The results suggest that midwives who participated in a 2-day trauma-informed care education program had significantly higher scores for positive attitudes towards trauma-informed care compared to those who did not take part in the program. This improvement was evidenced in all ARTIC-35 domains indicating effectiveness of the trauma-informed care education. There were no differences between post-program and follow-up scores at 6 months on any ARTIC-35 domain, indicating sustainability of the effectiveness of the trauma-informed care education program to change attitudes.
Conclusion
This study contributes to the research on trauma-informed care education for midwives and its effectiveness for improving and sustaining attitudes towards trauma-informed care. To implement organisational cultural change that will minimise perinatal trauma for mothers, babies and perinatal health care workers, system-wide trauma-informed care education is essential. This study proposes that trauma-informed care education for midwives is a foundational pathway for implementing a trauma-informed care framework across a whole maternity service.
Details
- Title
- Strengthening Connections: Trauma informed care Education for Midwives
- Creators
- Patricia Long
- Contributors
- Christina Aggar (Supervisor) - Southern Cross UniversitySandra Grace (Supervisor) - Southern Cross University
- Awarding Institution
- Southern Cross University; Masters by Thesis
- Theses
- Masters by Thesis, Southern Cross University
- Publisher
- Southern Cross University
- Number of pages
- 95
- Identifiers
- 991013231713802368
- Copyright
- © Trish Long 2024
- Academic Unit
- Allied Health and Midwifery; Faculty of Health
- Resource Type
- Thesis