Website: http://www.um.edu.mt/healthsciences; E-mail: healthsciences@um.edu.mt; Tel: 23401830 FHS Monthly Newsletter: March 2013 RESARCH, PUBLICATIONS & PRESENTATIONS 1 P a g e Publications by the Department of Midwifery, FHS (A) Early parenting portraits from the lives of first-time parents Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology, Volume 30, Issue 5, 2012, pages 468, 482.Rita Borg Xuereb, Angela Abela & Georgette Spiteri Abstract: Objective: The study aimed to explore the experiences of first-time Maltese parents between pregnancy and the first six months in the postnatal period. Background: Parents interaction with their children appears to have an important and lasting effect on children s cognitive and behavioural development. While both women and men anticipate equal involvement in child care, it is generally the woman who assumes primary responsibility when the new baby arrives. Methods: The qualitative paradigm was used to conduct the study by means of a semistructured interview schedule. Data was collected at 28 weeks gestation, at 6 weeks postnatal and at 6 months postnatal. Twenty-six first-time parents (13 couples)
participated in the study and were recruited by purposive sampling. Gender theory was used as the theoretical framework to guide this study. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used during the analysing phase. Results: Two main super-ordinate themes were revealed from this study: Pregnancy as a time of preparation and The postnatal period as a time of critical change in the lifeworld of the couple. Conclusion: Findings showed that competent and timely support by trained professionals could equip future couples for the art of parenting and could help parents to resolve challenges before they escalate into problems. This study encourages crosscultural research on this topic so as to shed light on differences and similarities of contemporary early parenting challenges and outcomes. (B) Going back to work after childbirth: women s lived experiences. Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology, Volume 30, Issue 2, 2012 Georgette Spiteri & Rita Borg Xuereb Abstract Objective: The study aimed at understanding the experiences of first-time mothers who returned to work after paid maternity leave. It explored the challenges new mothers faced during the transition of having a baby, taking 14 weeks of paid maternity leave and then returning to work. Background: Traditionally women left paid employment and stayed at home while their children were still young, but recent times have seen a change in local women s labour force participation and the actual lived experiences of Maltese women in the context of transition to parenthood had not been explored. Society still seems to expect that the idea of balancing work and family life is principally a women s issue as traditional gender roles still appear to prevail. Methods: The qualitative paradigm was used to conduct the study by means of a semistructured interview schedule at three different phases throughout the experience. Ten women were chosen to participate in this study by purposive sampling. The theoretical framework used to guide this thesis included phenomenology, transitional theory as described by van Gennep and feminism. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used during the analysing phase. Results: The resulting three super-ordinate themes identified how after childbirth maternity leave is a time of preparation and planning ahead followed by a period when lightening strikes on rejoining the workforce and weathering the storm via an attempt to balance work and family life. Conclusion: Findings showed that while society encourages mothers to return to work after the birth of their children, few attempts have actually been made to support them during this delicate transition. This study identified the need to improve local policy with regards to family-friendly measures and the importance of an increase in local maternity leave duration. Moreover, the midwife was identified as an important figure that can help empower mothers and prepare them for what is yet to come. 2 P a g e
PAST EVENTS Mr Martin Ward, Department of Nursing, in Sorrento, January, 2013. In January 2013, Mr Martin Ward, Department of Nursing, Mental Health, attended, as a senior advisor, the European Head of Country Psychiatric Nursing meeting in Sorrento to discuss the upcoming EU Parliament vote on Directive 2005/36/EC, Modernisation of Professional Qualifications. It has been proposed that the number of basic education years required by nurses to enter into university nursing programmes be reduced from 12 years to 10 years. A provisional vote by MEPs last autumn accepted this, much to the anger of most national bodies. With few exceptions, most notably Germany, European Nursing organisations want the limit to remain at 12 years and in the case of psychiatric nursing Germany is the only country that rejects this. Horatio: European Psychiatric Nurses argue that this devalues the nursing programmes against other professional groups as well as reducing the academic quality of potential students. They state that at a time when other professions are raising standards nursing appears to be lowering theirs. The meeting firmly supported the retention of the 12 year entrance period and organisations have been lobbying their MEPs accordingly ever since, pointing out that few, if any, bothered to consult with their national groups about the significance of the parliamentary vote. The final decision will be taken in March 2013. The Bowling Teambuilding Activity The Bowling Teambuilding Activity on the 27 th February was a huge success! Some members of staff proved to have a hidden talent, others not but we won t be mentioning any names!! Either way, it was great fun!! The organisers are already thinking about the next activity for which they hope to have a better attendance. 3 P a g e
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Research Seminars Dr Ritienne Grima, Department of Communications Therapy, 12 th December, 2012: The performance of Maltese-speaking adults on the Boston Naming Test. Abstract: The Boston Naming Test (Kaplan et al 1983) is standardised on different populations and it is the most widely used naming test worldwide in both research and clinical settings. This test was used to investigate naming performance in Maltese-speaking adults in a bilingual context. The first part of the research aimed to determine the demographic and word variables that affect naming performance in healthy Maltese people. It also aimed to propose an adaptation of the BNT to suit the linguistic and cultural characteristics of the Maltese population. The second part of the research, then, applied the findings obtained initially to establish whether the proposed test could be used clinically to assess Maltese people with naming impairments. The research on healthy Maltese adults showed that education was the strongest predictor of naming accuracy, while age was the strongest predictor of naming latency. A reduced set of the BNT with lenient scoring was recommended as the most suitable adaptation of the BNT for assessing Maltese people at risk of naming impairments. Ms Josephine Attard, Department of Midwifery, 9th January, 2013: Framework of competencies in spiritual care for nurses and midwives: A Modified Delphi Study by Ms Josephine Attard (Midwifery lecturer, PhD student) Abstract: Spiritual care was identified by nursing and midwifery educational and professional Bodies and research as an area that merits competence at point of registration. The discrepancy between the teaching of spiritual care and its delivery in clinical practice proposes the need for the development of a framework of competencies in spiritual care in order to equip nursing and midwifery students in meeting clients spiritual needs.. The research study adopting a mixed method approach is conducted under the supervision of the University of Glamorgan and University of Malta. The study aims to develop a set of competencies drafted from a systematic literature review and focus groups utilizing case scenario approach in order to identify what nurses/midwives need to know, be able to do, or think, in order to meet the spiritual needs of the clients. The identified competencies in spiritual care will undergo expert scrutiny through a Modified Delphi Method approach. This will be followed by a consultation process with nursing and midwifery researchers to ascertain views on the proposed 5 P a g e
competency framework and identify factors that facilitate or hinder the integration of the framework in nursing and midwifery education and clinical practice. It is hoped that this study will prevent assumptions regarding spiritual care, guide the education and professional sectors and equip the nurses and midwives with the necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes in spiritual care at point of registration. We would like to thank both Ritienne and Josephine for their interesting presentations. Baby News! ANNOUNCEMENTS Baby Giulia was born on the 3 rd March, 2013 to Ms Juanita Briffa, Administrative Assistant, Faculty of Health Sciences. Congratulations Juanita! Promoted to Visiting Senior Lecturers, Department of Communication Therapy Dr Joseph Agius Dr Rachel Agius Dr Rita Micallef We congratulate Joseph, Rachel and Rita for their achievement. Visiting lecturer Faculty of Medicine, University of Newcastle, UK Dr Rita Borg Xuereb, Head of Department, Midwifery was appointed visiting Lecturer with the School of Health and Society, Faculty of Medicine, University of Newcastle, UK. Well done Rita! A Lifelong Learning Programme Erasmus Intensive Programmes (IP) entitled Predictive Modelling and Risk Assessment, hosted at FHS Department of Food Studies and Environmental Health between 24.03.13-06.04.13. The specific objectives of this IP (thematic area of Predictive Modelling and Quantitative Risk Assessment) are outlined hereunder:- to develop each participants capacity to design and generate informative experimental data; to build skills in developing or selecting modelling structures appropriate to describe quantitatively chemical, microbiological and physical phenomena and develop capabilities for quantifying accurately the sources of stochasticity; 6 P a g e
to make participants familiar with optimisation software and model simulation in research, that can be exploited for developing decision-making and quantitative risk assessment tools. The target group of this IP are MScs or early stage PhD researchers working in the areas of public health, applied statistics, quantitative microbial/chemical risk assessment, food safety, process automation, food manufacturing. The programme will aim to promote an interactive participation, which will stimulate frank and open discussions between young and experienced postgraduate researchers. Information about the participating Institutes, Programme etc. can be found at http://staff.um.edu.mt/vasilis.valdramidis/erasmus_ip FIRE DRILL Wed 10 and 17 April, 2013 Please be informed that fire drills are to be carried out at FHS as follows: Wednesday, 10th April at 10.00: Administration Block Wednesday, 17th April at 10.00: Lab Block The fire drill will take approximately 30 minutes, during which time the fire alarm will sound in the above areas. Both Academic and administrative staff are kindly requested to familiarise themselves fire drill procedure, to be sent separately. 7 P a g e