Sarah Chitongo
Middlesex University, UK
Title: Midwives` competencies in caring for high risk women: An exploration of midwives` care to women from Black Minority Ethnic (BME) Groups on delivery suite High Dependency Units (HDU)
Biography
Biography: Sarah Chitongo
Abstract
The Black Minority Ethnic (BME) population has increased significantly over the course of the last three decades. They have more prevalent pre-existing medical conditions and have worse health outcomes. With the increase in births from this group, it is inevitable that midwives’ are increasingly caring for these women in High Dependency Units (HDU) on delivery suites and engage in a meaningful way with midwives’ in understanding their experiences of HDU care on delivery suite. Little is known about midwives’ competencies and experiences in caring for this group. Hence, we need to identify barriers that affect high dependency provision to BME patients. A mixed study using surveys to London based Trusts. Knowledge from this work will contribute to guidance on standardization of this area and identify areas of improvement. It will also reduce the fragmented care provision and encourage responsiveness to individual, family and cultural needs. Encourage services is to be organized more seamlessly to ensure ethnic minorities receive appropriate individualised maternity care.