Midwife Led Randomised Controlled Trials in Australia and New Zealand: A Scoping Review

Date
2023-03-07
Authors
Homer, Caroline
Neylon, Kim
Kennedy, Kate
Baird, Kathleen
Gilkison, Andrea
Keogh, Samantha
Middleton, Sandy
Gray, Richard
Whitehead, Lisa
Finn, Judith
Supervisor
Item type
Journal Article
Degree name
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Elsevier
Abstract

BACKGROUND: Midwives are the largest workforce involved in caring for pregnant women and their babies, and are well placed to translate research into practice and ensure midwifery priorities are appropriately targeted in researched. Currently, the number and focus of randomised controlled trials led by midwives in Australia and New Zealand is unknown. The Australasian Nursing and Midwifery Clinical Trials Network was established in 2020 to build nursing and midwifery research capacity. To aid this, scoping reviews of the quality and quantity of nurse and midwife led trials were undertaken. AIM: To identify midwife led trials conducted between 2000 and 2021 in Australia and New Zealand.

METHODS: This review was informed by the JBI scoping review framework. Medline, Emcare, and Scopus were searched from 2000-August 2021. ANZCTR, NHMRC, MRFF, and HRC (NZ) registries were searched from inception to July 2021.

FINDINGS: Of 26,467 randomised controlled trials registered on the Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, 50 midwife led trials, and 35 peer-reviewed publications were identified. Publications were of moderate to high quality with scores limited due to an inability to blind participants or clinicians. Blinding of assessors was included in 19 published trials.

DISCUSSION: Additional support for midwives to design and conduct trials and publish findings is required. Further support is needed to translate registration of trial protocols into peer reviewed publications.

CONCLUSION: These findings will inform the Australasian Nursing and Midwifery Clinical Trials Network plans to promote quality midwife led trials.

Description
Keywords
Australasian nursing and midwifery clinical trials network , Clinical research , Midwife , Randomized controlled trials as topic , Registries , Scoping review , Australasian nursing and midwifery clinical trials network , Clinical research , Midwife , Randomized controlled trials as topic , Registries , Scoping review , 32 Biomedical and Clinical Sciences , 4204 Midwifery , 4205 Nursing , 42 Health Sciences , Clinical Research , Clinical Trials and Supportive Activities , 3 Good Health and Well Being , 11 Medical and Health Sciences , Obstetrics & Reproductive Medicine , 3215 Reproductive medicine , 4204 Midwifery
Source
Women and Birth, ISSN: 1871-5192 (Print); 1871-5192 (Online), Elsevier, 36(5), 401-408. doi: 10.1016/j.wombi.2023.03.003
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