Embedding continuity of care experiences: An innovation in midwifery education

Abstract

Midwife-led continuity of care models demonstrate a number of benefits to women with no adverse effects. These benefits include a reduction in childbirth interventions, an increase in spontaneous vaginal births for women of low and increased risk (Begley et al., 2011; Hartz et al., 2013; Sandall et al., 2015) and a reduction in rates of caesarean sections in women of low risk (McLachlan et al., 2012). This model of care also demonstrates increased satisfaction for women when compared to other models of maternity care (Sandall et al., 2015). Given the significant benefits to women, the inclusion of a requirement for students to experience midwife-led continuity of care models was considered to be fundamental to all midwifery education programs. Prior to the introduction of Bachelor of Midwifery programs in Australia in 2002 there were no requirements for midwifery students to experience midwifery continuity of care. Indeed, there were very few continuity of midwifery care models in Australia (Gray, 2010) and students therefore gained their midwifery knowledge, skills and abilities by working with women in models of care with little exposure to the concept of continuity. Midwifery leaders were aware of the integration of continuity experiences in midwifery education programs in the United Kingdom (Anderson and Lewis, 2000) and in New Zealand (Pairman, 2000) and the opportunities that these provided to