Stamp Georgina, Champion Sonia, Anderson Geraldine, Warren Bronwyn, Stuart-Butler Deanna, Doolan Jacqueline, Boles Cheryl, Callaghan Lisa, Foale Anne, Muyambi Christine
Spencer Gulf Rural Health School, University of South Australia, Whyalla Campus, Whyalla Norrie, South Australia, Australia .
Rural Remote Health. 2008 Jul-Sep;8(3):883. Epub 2008 Jul 25.
Aboriginal Maternal and Infant Care (AMIC) workers and midwives work in intellectual and inter-cultural partnerships in a new perinatal care model the Anangu Bibi Family Birthing Program that aims to provide culturally focussed perinatal care for Aboriginal mothers and families at two sites in regional South Australia. This study investigated the views of the AMIC workers and midwives about their roles, their partnership and the program, following the first 45 births.
Semi-structured interviews with all five AMIC workers and four of the five midwives working in the program were conducted. Tapes were transcribed and main themes extracted.
The AMIC workers' role included clinical, cultural, social and aspects from the confirmation of pregnancy through to 6-8 weeks after the birth. Themes relating to their work role included: clinical work; social and emotional support; language and advocacy for the partnership: mutually equivalent roles and for the program: clinical benefits and cultural safety. The midwives' role included clinical practice, skill-sharing and mentoring. Midwives were guided by AMIC workers' social, cultural and community knowledge. Themes that emerged for the midwives on the partnership were: time and commitment to working inter-culturally; issues with the new AMIC worker role; clinical skill sharing and mentoring; resistance of some hospital midwives; respect for AMIC workers' cultural knowledge and community links; and two-way learning. Themes of perceived benefit were: increased use of services and cultural benefits.
The study provides a snapshot of a living, developing, inter-cultural partnership established to tackle the vitally important issue of Aboriginal mothers' and babies' health. Development of the partnership took commitment and time. There were issues initially with resistance from hospital staff. Skill sharing and two-way learning engendered mutual respect. Clear benefits of the care model were highlighted by both the AMIC workers and midwives while cultural safety was maintained for the Aboriginal mothers and families. The AMIC worker role will continue to require acknowledgement, support and development. This equivalent inter-cultural partnership model has the potential for much wider application and evaluation. Future programs should factor in the time required to build and sustain partnership relationships.
原住民母婴护理（AMIC）工作者和助产士以知识和跨文化伙伴关系参与到一种新的围产期护理模式——阿南古比比家庭分娩计划中。该计划旨在为南澳大利亚地区两个地点的原住民母亲及其家庭提供以文化为重点的围产期护理。本研究调查了在前45例分娩之后，AMIC工作者和助产士对其角色、伙伴关系及该计划的看法。
对该计划中的所有五名AMIC工作者和五名助产士中的四名进行了半结构化访谈。对访谈录音进行了转录，并提取了主要主题。
AMIC工作者的角色包括临床、文化、社会等方面，涵盖从确认怀孕到产后6 - 8周的整个过程。与他们工作角色相关的主题包括：临床工作；社会和情感支持；伙伴关系中的语言和倡导：相互平等的角色以及该计划方面：临床益处和文化安全。助产士的角色包括临床实践、技能分享和指导。助产士以AMIC工作者的社会、文化和社区知识为指导。助产士在伙伴关系方面出现的主题有：跨文化工作的时间和投入；新AMIC工作者角色的问题；临床技能分享和指导；一些医院助产士的抵触；对AMIC工作者文化知识和社区联系的尊重；以及双向学习。感知到的益处主题有：服务使用增加和文化益处。
本研究提供了一个关于为解决原住民母亲和婴儿健康这一至关重要问题而建立的、充满活力且不断发展的跨文化伙伴关系的快照。伙伴关系的发展需要投入和时间。最初存在医院工作人员抵触的问题。技能分享和双向学习产生了相互尊重。AMIC工作者和助产士都强调了护理模式的明显益处，同时为原住民母亲及其家庭维持了文化安全。AMIC工作者的角色将继续需要认可、支持和发展。这种同等的跨文化伙伴关系模式有更广泛应用和评估的潜力。未来的计划应考虑建立和维持伙伴关系所需的时间。
