Innovation
The first university to embed student caseloading in midwifery.
What prompted innovation?
The literature has consistently identified that women receiving maternity care benefited from have choice, control and continuity of care by a known carer throughout pregnancy, labour and the postnatal period; principles that can be achieved by caseload midwifery. Two aspiring student midwives at Bournemouth University explored the possibility of working with this underpinning philosophy using caseload holding as the means of providing this care.
What makes innovation different?
The two students, mentors and the women positively evaluated their experience. The students identified that this approach increased their confidence in practice, particularly in terms of decision making, communication, multiprofessional working and evidence-based practice. Due to the success, caseload holding became an integral part of the undergraduate curriculum at Bournemouth University.
Changes in practice
Caseload holding for students has moved from a practice element of the undergraduate programme to an integrated theory practice element of the programme.
Impact
Students evaluate highly this model of care and is now recognised by the Nursing and Midwifery Council as an integral part of their standards for pre-registration midwifery education.
Dissemination
Numerous publications have resulted from this work as well as being taken forwards as a PhD study:
- Rawson S (Unpublished) An exploration of student midwives perceptions of caseloading. MA Thesis. Bournemouth University. Women’s experience of caseload holding is now being explored at doctorate level.
- Fry J, Rawnson S, Lewis P 2008 Student midwife caseloading- preparing and supporting students British Journal of Midwifery 16(9), 568-595
- Rawnson S, Brown S, Wilkins C, Leamon J 2009 Student midwives’ views of caseloading: the BUMP study British Journal of Midwifery 17(20), 283-283