An important part of the Midwifery Department’s research program involves understanding ways in which midwives can improve the human experience of pregnancy, birth and the postpartum period for all families.
Our research projects intentionally examine many areas in need of evaluation and further understanding to promote optimal care in this important time in client’s lives.
Exploring the safety of skin-to-skin contact in cesarean section
Our team is currently in the process of conducting a study exploring ways to keep mothers and birthing people with their newborns in the operating room. Our team is leading this study with collaborators from the Pregnancy Research Group with Dr. Barbra deVrijer, one our fellow obstetrical colleagues.
Burnout in Midwifery
The pandemic has taken a toll on many frontline healthcare workers. Midwives are no exception. We have conducted research in collaboration with Dr. Andrea Lawlor, PhD at Kings College examining the ways in which midwives experience stress and burnout. This research will help midwives and the ministry of health inform the ways in which midwives are compensated and understand how midwifery call models contribute to burnout. One of the key findings of this research was understanding that the pandemic itself did not lead to burnout, but that midwifery call and compensation models are key drives of stress and burnout.
Accepted for Publication February 2023
Shared decision making
Research shows that one way that care is improved for childbearing people and their families is to ensure that healthcare providers are including clients and patients in the decision-making process. Clients need to understand and consent to processes in their care. Our team is exploring the ways in which obstetrical residents and midwifery students learn, understand and apply this skill in their training. Some key findings from this research show that many students are not supported well in learning this skill and there is currently no systematic way in which this skill is taught. More research is needed in regards to curriculum design for shared decision making. We are currently conducting a follow-up study exploring how this may be done. This study is being done with co-investigators at McMaster Midwifery Research Centre.
Interprofessional Team Dynamics and FHS
Unexpected poor perinatal outcomes in labour represent a devastating occurrence for families and care providers, as well as significant medicolegal costs. An interdisciplinary team consisting of Lauren Columbus, RM, Dr. Taryn Taylor and Dr. Harrison Banner from the Schulich Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, and Dr. Rachael Pack (CERI) and Ayma Aqib (Schulich School of Medicine) are studying interprofessional team dynamics on the birthing unit and how they impact psychological safety and perinatal outcomes, specifically with respect to quality improvement initiatives. Findings from this work were presented at Paul Harding Reseach Day 2023 and will be presented at The International Conference for Residency Education (ICRE) 2023 in Halifax in October.
The Learning, Understanding and Application of Informed Choice Decision Making in Midwifery Education
Informed Choice Decision Making is a central tenet of the midwifery model of care. It requires that midwives inform their clients of all of the necessary information needed to decide their pregnancy, birth and postpartum care. Informed Choice is one of the key defining reasons clients choose to have midwifery care, as it allows clients to feel autonomy and control over their care and the care of their newborns. Did you know that when clients feel involved in their decision-making, it can reduce rates of postpartum mental health disorders and rates of traumatic births and improve birth satisfaction rates? We set out to help understand the best ways to teach students how to perform this vital skill.
How do midwives teach midwifery students to sit with and engage with clients during their training? How do students learn this optimally? Our study explores the perspectives of midwifery students and identifies their learning process and the associated skills they require to be present and engage with their clients fully. Our research will help to inform midwifery educators, preceptors, and academic institutions on the most effective ways to teach students how to engage in decision-making with clients.
Understanding Continuity of Care: A Mixed Methods Study Exploring Midwifery Client Experiences of Continuity of Care (CoCO study)
This study, led by Dr. Beth Murray-Davis and Meagan Furnivall, aims to explore midwifery clients' experiences in Ontario and uncover how continuity of care influences their journey from pregnancy to postnatal care. With the current rates of burnout in midwifery so high, it is essential that we explore what aspects of the midwifery model are most important to clients. As the midwifery profession in Ontario is under examination for any changes that could be made to lessen the rates of midwives on leave, we are hoping to uncover the clients perspectives on what the optimal form of continuity of care looks like for them so we can inform future directions to preserve the midwifery profession and reduce attrition rates.
Interprofessional MFM and Midwifery Expanded (TIME) Program Evaluation
We are currently evaluating the impacts of one of Canada's first-ever clinical programs bringing together both midwives and high-risk obstetricians. We will be evaluating the perspectives of both the healthcare providers and the patients who have received care in this program as well as some important clinical health outcomes.
