Midwives' perception of advantages of health care at a distance during the COVID-19 pandemic in Switzerland

Midwives' experience of telehealth and remote care: a systematic mixed methods review

INTRODUCTION

Increasing the midwifery workforce has been identified as an evidence-based approach to decrease maternal mortality and reproductive health disparities worldwide. Concurrently, the profession of midwifery, as with all healthcare professions, has undergone a significant shift in practice with acceleration of telehealth use to expand access. We conducted a systematic literature review to identify and synthesize the existing evidence regarding how midwives experience, perceive and accept providing sexual and reproductive healthcare services at a distance with telehealth.

METHODS

Five databases were searched, PubMed, CINHAL, PsychInfo, Embase and the Web of Science, using search terms related to 'midwives', 'telehealth' and 'experience'. Peer-reviewed studies with quantitative, qualitative or mixed methods designs published in English were retrieved and screened. Studies meeting the inclusion criteria were subjected to full-text data extraction and appraisal of quality. Using a convergent approach, the findings were synthesized into major themes and subthemes.

RESULTS

After applying the inclusion/exclusion criteria, 10 articles on midwives' experience of telehealth were reviewed. The major themes that emerged were summarized as integrating telehealth into clinical practice; balancing increased connectivity; challenges with building relationships via telehealth; centring some patients while distancing others; and experiences of telehealth by age and professional experience.

CONCLUSIONS

Most current studies suggest that midwives' experience of telehealth is deeply intertwined with midwives' experience of the response to COVID-19 pandemic in general. More research is needed to understand how sustained use of telehealth or newer hybrid models of telehealth and in-person care are perceived by midwives.

A cross-sectional investigation on remote working, loneliness, workplace isolation, well-being and perceived social support in healthcare workers

BACKGROUND

Following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare trusts began to implement remote working arrangements, with little knowledge of their impact on staff well-being.

AIMS

To investigate how remote working of healthcare workers during the pandemic may have been associated with stress, productivity and work satisfaction at that time, and associations between loneliness, workplace isolation, perceived social support and well-being.

METHOD

A questionnaire was developed to explore remote working and productivity, stress and work satisfaction during time spent working remotely. Associations between current loneliness, workplace isolation and well-being, and the influence of perceived social support, were explored with perceived social support as a potential moderator.

RESULTS

A total of 520 participants responded to the study, of whom 112 were men (21.5%) and 406 were women (78.1%), with an age range of 21-77 years (mean 40.0, s.d. = 12.1). Very few (3.1%) worked remotely before the COVID-19 pandemic, and this had increased significantly (96.9%). Those who worked ≥31 h a week remotely reported higher stress and lower workplace satisfaction at that time, compared with office work, yet also felt more productive. Current loneliness, workplace isolation and perceived social support were cross-sectionally associated with lower current well-being.

CONCLUSIONS

Those who worked more hours a week remotely during the pandemic reported increased stress, which may be related to the lack of resources in place to support this change in work.

How should a video-call service for early labour be provided? A qualitative study of midwives' perspectives in the United Kingdom and Italy

PROBLEM

Women in early labour are typically encouraged to delay admission to the maternity unit, but they may find this challenging without appropriate professional support.

BACKGROUND

Prior to the pandemic, research conducted with midwives and women showed positivity towards using video-technology for early labour, with concerns raised about privacy.

AIM

To explore midwives' perspectives on potential use of video-calls during early labour METHODS: A multi-centre descriptive qualitative study was undertaken in UK and Italy. Ethical approval was gained prior to commencing the study and ethical processes were followed. Seven virtual focus groups were conducted with 36 participants, 17 midwives working in the UK and 19 midwives working in Italy. Line-by-line thematic analysis was performed and themes agreed by the research team.

FINDINGS

The findings include three main themes: 1) who, where, when and how: key aspects to consider for an effective video-call service in early labour; 2) video-call content and expected contribution; 3) potential barriers to address.

DISCUSSION

Midwives responded positively to the concept of video-calling in early labour and provided detailed suggestions on how an ideal video-call service for early labour should be provided to maximise effectiveness, safety and quality of care.

CONCLUSION

Guidance, support and training should be provided to midwives and healthcare professionals, with dedicated resources for an early labour video-call service that is accessible, acceptable, safe, individualised and respectful for mothers and families. Further research should systematically explore clinical, psychosocial and service feasibility and acceptability.

Creatively Adapting Touch-Based Practices to the Web Format During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic forced numerous touch-based fields, including manual therapy, body psychotherapy, arts therapy, creative arts practices, and the fitness industry, to swiftly transition to web-based service delivery. These disciplines faced substantial challenges in adapting their traditionally in-person practices, which rely heavily on physical touch and close proximity, to a web format.

OBJECTIVE

This review intends to provide a systematically sourced overview of the literature concerning innovative approaches for adapting touch-based practices to the web format in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

A systematic search across 7 databases and gray literature sources identified studies presenting innovative web delivery methods, particularly those addressing the challenges arising from the absence of physical proximity and touch. The inclusion criteria were designed to encompass studies exploring the creative adaptation of touch-based practices to web formats in response to the COVID-19 pandemic irrespective of study methodology. The exclusion criteria applied to studies focusing solely on technical aspects of web delivery or nontouch or noninteractive practices. There were no geographical restrictions, but the selection was limited to publications from 2020 onward. As only qualitative studies were found, data synthesis was conducted thematically.

RESULTS

The review encompassed 17 studies revealing that touch-based fields successfully devised innovative and creative methods for web service delivery. These methods were categorized into five main themes: (1) adapted working methods (cross-field methods), (2) adapted working methods for sensorial experiences and nonphysical connections, (3) creative methods using materials or additional tools, (4) creative use of web-based platform tools or additional technologies, and (5) creative methods requiring previous preparation of practitioners or participants. These creative approaches allowed practitioners to address the challenges of web touch-based practices, fostering connections and offering unique sensory experiences, albeit with some concerns related to technology and preparation.

CONCLUSIONS

These innovative methods demonstrate promise in circumventing the limitations imposed by the lack of physical touch and proximity in web settings during the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, these insights hold potential for application in other fields in the future. This systematic search and thematic synthesis provide valuable guidance for practitioners and educators seeking to navigate the evolving landscape of web service delivery in touch-based disciplines, ensuring continuity of care even in challenging circumstances.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

PROSPERO CRD42022379731; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=379731.

How Do Midwives View Their Professional Autonomy, Now and in Future?

BACKGROUND

Internationally, midwives' professional autonomy is being challenged, resulting in their inability to practice to their full scope of practice. This situation contrasts with the increasing international calls for strengthening the midwifery profession. The aim of this study therefore is to explore Belgian midwives' views on their current and future autonomy.

METHODS

An online survey among Belgian midwives was performed. Data were collected and analyzed using a quantitative approach, while quotes from respondents were used to contextualize the quantitative data.

RESULTS

Three hundred and twelve midwives from different regions and professional settings in Belgium completed the questionnaire. Eighty-five percentage of respondents believe that they are mostly or completely autonomous. Brussels' midwives feel the most autonomous, while those in Wallonia feel the least. Primary care midwives feel more autonomous than hospital-based midwives. Older midwives and primary care midwives feel less recognized and respected by other professionals in maternity care. The majority of our respondents believe that in future midwives should be able to work more autonomously in constructive collaboration with other professionals.

CONCLUSION

While Belgian midwives generally rated their own professional autonomy as high, a significant majority of respondents desire more autonomy in future. In addition, our respondents want to be recognized and respected by society and other health professionals in maternity care. It is recommended to prioritize efforts in enhancing midwives' autonomy, while also addressing the need for increased recognition and respect from society and other maternity care professionals.

Mothers' perspectives on the potential use of video-calling during early labour in the United Kingdom and Italy: A qualitative study

PROBLEM

Women in early labour are typically encouraged to delay maternity unit admission, but they may find this challenging without appropriate professional support.

BACKGROUND

Despite pre-pandemic research which identified potential advantages of video-calling in early labour, implementation of such service has not been reported.

AIM

To explore mothers' perspectives on potential use of video-calls during early labour.

METHODS

A multi-centre descriptive qualitative study was undertaken in UK and Italy. Ethical approval was gained and ethical processes were followed. Six virtual focus groups were conducted with 37 participants, 24 mothers who gave birth in the UK and 13 who gave birth in Italy. Line-by-line thematic analysis was performed and themes agreed.

FINDINGS

Two themes emerged: 1) women's expectations of video-calls' content and features; 2) technological challenges and solutions. Mothers responded positively to the concept of video-calling in early labour. Receiving guidance, information on coping with pain and advice on timely access in early labour was perceived as key. Women highlighted the importance of accessible, reliable and user-friendly technology. Equitable access, technological literacy, acceptability and privacy were considered as challenges to implementation, with solutions proposed to overcome disparities.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

Guidance and training should be provided to midwives, with designated resources to build a service that is accessible, acceptable, safe, individualised and respectful for mothers and birth companions. Further research should explore feasibility, acceptability, clinical and cost-effectiveness.

Nurse-Led Telehealth Interventions During COVID-19: A Scoping Review

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, telehealth expanded rapidly and was adopted as a substitute for in-person patient and nurse visits. However, no studies have mapped nurse-led telehealth interventions during the pandemic. This study aimed to identify and summarize the strengths and weaknesses of nurse-led telehealth interventions for community-dwelling outpatients during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study used a scoping review methodology and was guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses Scoping Review Extension. Five electronic databases were searched to find studies published in English peer-reviewed publications between January 2020 and February 2022. A total of 490 articles were retrieved, of which 23 empirical studies were selected based on the inclusion/exclusion criteria. Primary studies from nine countries with a variety of research designs were included. Four strengths and three weaknesses of nurse-led telehealth interventions for patients during COVID-19 were identified. For telehealth services to provide effective, efficient, and quality patient care, future research and nursing practice need to overcome the identified weaknesses of current nurse-led telehealth interventions. More rigorous evidence-based research and updated and standardized guidelines for nurses' telehealth services will help improve the quality of patient care. Nurse managers, leaders, and policymakers can use the findings of this scoping review to refine the current telehealth services system.

Self-Reported Experiences of Midwives Working in the UK across Three Phases during COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional Study

Maternity services cannot be postponed due to the nature of this service, however, the pandemic resulted in wide-ranging and significant changes to working practices and services. This paper aims to describe UK midwives' experiences of working during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study forms part of a larger multiple phase research project using a cross-sectional design based on an online survey. The online survey used validated psychometric tools to measure work-related quality of life, wellbeing, coping, and burnout as well as open-ended questions to further understand the experiences of staff working during the pandemic. This paper reports the qualitative data collected from the open-ended questions. The qualitative data were subjected to thematic analysis and the four main themes that emerged were 'relentless stress/pressure', 'reconfiguration of services', 'protection of self and others', and 'workforce challenges'. The key conclusions were that midwives experienced a reduction in quality of working life and significant stress throughout the pandemic due to a range of factors including staffing shortages, restrictions placed on women's partners, changes to services and management support, all of which compounded workforce pressures that existed prior to the pandemic. This research recommends consultation of front-line midwives in relation to possible changes in practice and workforce planning in preparation for crises such as a pandemic and to ensure equitable and supportive management with access to practical and psychological support.