Education provision for the newborn physical examination as a post-registration module: National survey

Cathy Rogers,Annabel Jay,Carole Yearley

doi:10.12968/bjom.2017.25.2.88

Abstract

Aims This study aimed to assess the scope of newborn infant physical examination (NIPE) education in post-registration midwifery education, determine the structure and requirements for midwives undertaking NIPE training, and explore similarities and differences in pre- and post-registration preparation requirements. Methods In early 2015, all lead midwives for education in the UK were sent a link to an online questionnaire to assess the scope and practice of NIPE education across all midwifery curricula. This is the second of a two-part report, focusing on post-registration education; part A examined the education provision for the inclusion of NIPE in the midwifery curriculum. Findings NIPE education for midwives is popular and is well established in the post-registration curriculum. Variations exist in the length, content, assessment, levels of study and credits awarded for post-registration NIPE modules. This lack of standardisation raises questions about quality assurance. Conclusion The variation in module length has implications for commissioners and self-funding students, as longer NIPE modules are more costly. There is a strong argument for a standardised NIPE programme across the UK and for providers of maternity services to fully utilise midwives who have been trained in NIPE to avoid them becoming de-skilled.

Highlights

In recent years there has been a gradual move towards qualified midwives undertaking the newborn infant physical examination (NIPE) as part of their extended role
In Scotland, NIPE education and training is provided by the Scottish Multi-professional Maternity Development Programme and known as the Scottish Routine Examination of the Newborn Course (SRENC), which is a non-accredited course (NHS Education for Scotland, 2017)
The findings of this study show that programmes of NIPE preparation are firmly embedded in the post-registration curriculum across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and remain popular with midwives

Summary

Introduction

In recent years there has been a gradual move towards qualified midwives undertaking the newborn infant physical examination (NIPE) as part of their extended role. The reasons behind this have been outlined in part A of this report (Yearley et al, 2017). The investigators, felt it important to establish a national picture of the preparation of midwives for this role To this end, the same authors undertook a further national survey between autumn 2014 and spring 2015 in which all Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) approved education intuitions (AEIs) were invited to report on their provision of education. The current paper (part B) focuses on the provision of NIPE training for midwives as part of their post registration professional development

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Discussion

Conclusion