Crevacore Carol, De Leo Annie, Fisher Peta, Bayes Sara
Edith Cowan University, Australia.
Edith Cowan University, Australia.
Women Birth. 2025 Mar;38(2):101885. doi: 10.1016/j.wombi.2025.101885. Epub 2025 Feb 13.
The midwifery workforce is essential for delivering safe, high-quality maternity care, however, global staffing shortages pose significant challenges. To address these issues, incorporating midwifery assistants, including undergraduate midwifery students into the model of care has been proposed as a strategy to support midwives and maintain effective service delivery.
This study explores the Registered Midwives' experiences working with Midwifery Assistants (MAs) in an Australian tertiary maternity service.
This study employed a qualitative exploratory design and was conducted using semi-structured interviews with 9 midwives who had experienced working with MAs in the tertiary maternity care setting.
The discussion highlighted three main themes from the experiences of these midwives working with MAs in tertiary maternity settings. Firstly, all types of MAs are valuable, though their scope of practice and initial knowledge base vary. Secondly, MAs enable midwives to focus on midwifery care, though their potential could be expanded. Finally, undergraduate midwifery student working as MAs gain valuable professional experience, benefiting both themselves and the midwives they assist, despite concerns about role blurring.
Midwives are essential in maternal and newborn care, however, declining numbers in Australia, result in maternity care models needing review. Maternity assistants can be integrated into care models, providing vital support. While MAs help midwives focus on clinical tasks, role blurring, and limited numbers can be challenges. Expanding MA roles, especially for midwifery students, may enhance care quality and reduce midwives' workload.
助产士队伍对于提供安全、高质量的孕产妇护理至关重要，然而，全球人员短缺带来了重大挑战。为解决这些问题，有人提议将助产士助理，包括本科助产专业学生纳入护理模式，作为支持助产士并维持有效服务提供的一项策略。
本研究探讨了澳大利亚一家三级产科服务机构中注册助产士与助产士助理合作的经历。
本研究采用定性探索性设计，通过对9名在三级产科护理环境中与助产士助理合作过的助产士进行半结构化访谈来开展。
讨论突出了这些助产士在三级产科环境中与助产士助理合作经历的三个主要主题。首先，各类助产士助理都很有价值，尽管他们的执业范围和初始知识基础各不相同。其次，助产士助理能使助产士专注于助产护理，尽管其潜力有待拓展。最后，作为助产士助理工作的本科助产专业学生获得了宝贵的专业经验，这对他们自己以及他们所协助的助产士都有益处，尽管存在角色模糊的担忧。
助产士在孕产妇和新生儿护理中至关重要，然而，澳大利亚助产士数量的减少导致产科护理模式需要重新审视。产科助理可融入护理模式，提供重要支持。虽然助产士助理帮助助产士专注于临床任务，但角色模糊和数量有限可能是挑战。扩大助产士助理的角色，尤其是对助产专业学生而言，可能会提高护理质量并减轻助产士的工作量。
