Meeting the challenges of midwifery today: a critical analysis of educational requirements for safer childbirth and critical care

Needham, Elizabeth (2025) Meeting the challenges of midwifery today: a critical analysis of educational requirements for safer childbirth and critical care. Doctoral thesis, University of East Anglia.

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Abstract

This research arises at a time when maternity outcomes in the UK seem to have worsened. The literature indicates that poor outcomes may be due to a lack of knowledge and training for midwives around critical illness during maternity. Research also indicates that such improved education can promote continuity of care for women and babies within the maternity unit whilst ensuring their critical care needs are met, rather than transferring expectant mothers/new mothers to critical care units. This thesis therefore explores the latest literature, key influential documents and the perceptions of experts in the field of midwifery education with reference to maternal critical care.

This thesis uses multiple methodologies: A critical review of the literature identifies key debates/issues surrounding critical care, midwifery practice, and undergraduate midwifery education. Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) was used to examine policy and guidance documents that have an influential role in shaping the field. The Delphi technique was also used, amongst a range of experts in the field, to explore their views about improvements to the critical care education of student midwives.

This study adds to the existing debates on midwifery education and on caring for women with critical care needs. The findings of the literature review, CDA and Delphi study highlighted gaps in critical care teaching and, what a student midwife should be taught in order to enhance care. The study’s results emphasise the importance of a skilled workforce; the need to have critical care nursing knowledge and critical care placements for student midwives; and implications for how key texts may talk about these matters. The thesis concludes with recommendations that HEIs and practice partners need to consider.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Social Sciences > School of Education and Lifelong Learning
Depositing User:	Chris White
Date Deposited:	24 Mar 2025 11:49
Last Modified:	24 Mar 2025 11:49
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/98873
DOI:

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