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A University of Nottingham lecturer who has led an innovative work-based education programme for midwives has been nominated for a national award.
Dr Jayne Marshall, of the University’s School of
Nursing, Midwifery and Physiotherapy, has been instrumental in implementing the Developing Midwifery Practice Through Work-Based Learning module which is one of the core modules for experienced practising midwives undertaking the BSc (Hons) in Midwifery Studies Pathway.
The module was devised as a way of offering midwives the opportunity to complete part of their degree in their own workplace, providing them with the flexibility to more effectively balance the pressures of work and home life with their studies and undertake novel project work.
Dr Marshall’s innovative work has led to her being shortlisted for a Royal College of Midwives (RCM) Annual Midwifery Award in the Johnson’s Baby Award for Excellence in Midwifery Education category.
Valuable contributions
Dr Marshall said: “It is indeed an honour and privilege to be recognised nationally by my peers for the work I have initiated in enabling experienced midwives to become graduates and at the same time observe them gaining confidence to undertake project work that can have benefit to them in their career progression through making valuable contributions to developing the maternity services in which they work.”
The work based project can take many forms and midwives have been instrumental in developing clinical guidelines, information leaflets and booklets for parents and staff, internet resources such as virtual maternity unit tours and intranet staff training packages. Each project has proven to have had a positive effect on the midwives’ own professional and career development as well as their clinical practice and that of their colleagues, their employing organisation and more importantly the care provided to local women, their babies and families. The midwives’ projects are approved beforehand with the module leader and employer in the form of a learning action plan (LAP) and each midwife has both an academic and work-based supervisor to support them in completing their project.
An evaluative study has been undertaken by Dr Marshall in order to examine the effect this module has had on both the individual midwife and in developing midwifery practice. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with midwives and their employers clearly recognising the tangible benefits of the project work in developing the local maternity and neonatal services.
High standard
The RCM’s Johnson’s Baby Award for Excellence in Midwifery Education recognises those who have led and pioneered work in midwifery education, and influenced the theory and practice of midwives to the benefit of clinical practice, and care of mothers, their babies and families.
Dr Marshall will discover whether she is the national category winner when she travels to the RCM Annual Midwifery Awards on Thursday this week, which are taking place at The Brewery in London and are being presented by TV news reader and presenter Natasha Kaplinsky.
Cathy Warwick, Chief Executive of the RCM, said: “This year we have had a record number of entries for our awards and the standard has been incredibly high, so I congratulate Jayne Marshall on getting this far, and wish her luck at the awards ceremony this week.
“It is so important that midwives and maternity services keep thinking about the services they offer and continue to innovate, as Jayne has done, so that they can give the most up-to-date and beneficial care for women, their babies and their families.”
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