Australian Catholic University, McAuley Campus, PO Box 456, Virginia, Qld 4014, Australia; Mater Research, Women's Health and Newborn Services (Maternity), Mater Health Services, Level 1, Aubigny Place, Raymond Terrace, South Brisbane, Qld 4101, Australia.
Women Birth. 2013 Dec;26(4):235-9. doi: 10.1016/j.wombi.2013.08.008. Epub 2013 Sep 24.
Around-the-clock access to a known midwife is a distinct feature of Midwifery Group Practice (MGP) and caseload midwifery settings; although the literature suggests this aspect of working life may hinder recruitment and retention to this model of care. Mobile technologies, known as mHealth where they are used in health care, facilitate access and hence communication, however little is known about this area of midwifery practice.
Which communication modalities are used, and most frequently, by MGP midwives and clients?
A prospective, cross sectional design included a purposive sample of MGP midwives from an Australian tertiary maternity hospital. Data on modes of midwife-client contact were collected 24h/day, for two consecutive weeks, and included: visits, phone-calls, texts and emails. Demographic data were also collected.
Details about 1442 midwife-client contacts were obtained. The majority of contact was via text, between the hours of 07:00 and 14:59, with primiparous women, when the primary midwife was on-call. An average of 96 contacts per fortnight occurred.
The majority of contact was between the midwife and their primary clients, reiterating a key tenet of caseload models and confirming mobile technologies as a significant and evolving aspect of practice. The pattern of contact within social (or daytime) hours is reassuring for midwives considering caseload midwifery, who are concerned about the on-call burden. The use of text as the preferred communication modality raises issues regarding data security and retrieval, accountability, confidentiality and text management during off-duty periods. The development of Australian-wide guidelines to inform local policies and best practice is recommended.
24 小时随时可联系到一名熟悉的助产士是助产士小组实践（MGP）和产妇助产实践设置的显著特征；尽管文献表明，这种工作方式可能会阻碍人们加入这种护理模式。移动技术，在医疗保健中被称为移动医疗，方便了获取和因此的沟通，然而，关于这一助产实践领域的知识却知之甚少。
MGP 助产士和客户使用哪些以及最常使用哪些沟通方式？
采用前瞻性、横断面设计，包括澳大利亚一家三级妇产医院的 MGP 助产士的目的性样本。收集了 24 小时/天、连续两周的助产士与客户联系的模式的数据，包括：访视、电话、短信和电子邮件。还收集了人口统计学数据。
获得了 1442 次助产士-客户联系的详细信息。大多数联系是通过短信进行的，时间在 07:00 至 14:59 之间，联系对象是初产妇，此时主要助产士正在值班。每两周平均发生 96 次联系。
大多数联系是主要助产士与他们的主要客户之间进行的，这再次强调了产妇助产实践的一个关键原则，并确认移动技术是实践中一个重要且不断发展的方面。在社会（或白天）时间内的联系模式让考虑产妇助产实践的助产士感到放心，他们担心值班负担。短信作为首选沟通方式的使用引发了关于数据安全性和检索、问责制、保密性以及非工作时间短信管理的问题。建议制定澳大利亚范围内的指南，为当地政策和最佳实践提供信息。
