Improving interagency service integration of the Australian Nurse Family Partnership Program for First Nations women and babies: a qualitative study

Family Nursing Care during the Transition to Parenthood: A Scoping Review

BACKGROUND

Family-centered care places the family at the core of care, with family nurses playing a pivotal role in supporting and guiding members through pregnancy and the transition to parenthood and acknowledging the significant adjustments during these phases.

AIM

To map the evidence concerning family nurses' care for families during the transition to parenthood.

METHOD

The scoping review followed the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology, focusing on family-centered care during pregnancy adaptation and the initial months of parenthood. Using a PCC (population, concept, and context) strategy, the research covered various databases: Scopus; Web of Science; and CINAHL Complete, MedLine Complete, and MedicLatina by EBSCOhost.

RESULTS

A Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) flow diagram was used to present the results. Eighteen articles were included, mainly from the Middle East and Europe, including cross-sectional studies and reviews. Key findings addressed the transitioning process to parenthood, the impact of family characteristics, and the role of family nurses in enhancing these processes.

CONCLUSION

Home care is considered vital during this transition. Family nursing should concentrate on both individuals and the parental subsystem, addressing social determinants equitably. Through these efforts, they empower families to establish an optimal environment for children's development.

"This has changed me to be a better mum": A qualitative study exploring how the Australian Nurse-Family Partnership Program contributes to the development of First Nations women's self-efficacy

BACKGROUND

The Australian Nurse-Family Partnership Program is based on the Nurse-Family Partnership program from the United States, which was designed to support first-time mothers experiencing social and economic disadvantage from early in pregnancy until their child's second birthday. International trials have demonstrated this program measurably improves family environment, maternal competencies, and child development. The Australian program has been tailored for mothers having a First Nations baby.

AIM

This study aimed to understand how the program impacts self-efficacy using a qualitative interpretive approach.

METHODS

The study took place in two sites within one Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service in Meanjin (Brisbane), Australia. Twenty-nine participants were interviewed: first-time mothers having a First Nations baby who had accessed the program (n = 26), their family members (n = 1), and First Nations Elders (n = 2). Interviews were conducted either face-to-face or by telephone, using a yarning tool and method, to explore women's experiences and perceptions. Yarns were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.

FINDINGS

Three main themes were generated: 1) sustaining connections and relationships; 2) developing self-belief and personal skills; and 3) achieving transformation and growth. We interpret that when the program facilitates the development of culturally safe relationships with staff and peers, it enables behaviour change, skill development, personal goal setting and achievement, leading to self-efficacy.

DISCUSSION

Located within a community-controlled health service, the program can foster cultural connection, peer support and access to health and social services; all contributing to self-efficacy.

CONCLUSION

We recommend the program indicators are strengthened to reflect these findings and enable monitoring and reporting of activities that facilitate self-efficacy, growth, and empowerment.

Syphilis in pregnancy: a qualitative investigation of healthcare provider perspectives on barriers to syphilis screening during pregnancy in south-east Queensland

BACKGROUND

Increasing rates of syphilis in pregnancy (SiP) in Australia and other high-income countries, has led to the resurgence of congenital syphilis. Suboptimal syphilis screening during pregnancy has been identified as a key contributing factor.

METHODS

This study aimed to explore, from the perspective of multidisciplinary healthcare providers (HCPs), the barriers to optimal screening during the antenatal care (ANC) pathway. Semi-structured interviews conducted with 34 HCPs across multiple disciplines practising in south-east Queensland (SEQ) were analysed through a process of reflexive thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Barriers were found to occur at the system level of ANC, through difficulties in patient engagement in care, limitations in the current model of health care delivery and limitations in the communication pathways across health care disciplines; and at the individual HCP level, through HCP knowledge and awareness of epidemiological changes in syphilis in SEQ, and adequately assessing patient risk.

CONCLUSION

It is imperative that the healthcare systems and HCPs involved in ANC address these barriers to improve screening in order to optimise management of women and prevent congenital syphilis cases in SEQ.

Negotiating collaborative agreements: Interprofessional collaboration in a Norwegian welfare context

Interprofessional collaboration among welfare services is a policy objective promoted to ensure successful service provision to people with complex needs. In the Nordic region, people who are not in education, employment, or training often have challenging life situations requiring help from a multitude of services. In Norway, significant political and institutional efforts focus on implementing policies that support collaboration. However, we know little about how service workers formalize joint efforts. In this study, I used institutional ethnography to explore how interprofessional collaboration was constructed through negotiations of collaborative agreements among leaders of welfare services and how such negotiations are consequential for collaborative practices. I explored two cases of negotiations initiated by the leader of the Norwegian Labor and Welfare Administration. The negotiations were with the local child welfare and protection services and Refugee services, focusing on the transition of care regarding youth and refugees. The data includes two collaborative agreements between the services, an observation of the negotiation of one agreement, and 10 interviews with leaders and staff. Results show that collaboration is constructed based on holistic service provision. The negotiations, however, do not result in such collaborative practices, but are characterized by the demarcation of responsibilities and work.