Key considerations when developing academic writing support for nursing and midwifery doctoral students: A scoping review.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Academic writing is essential to achieve success for doctoral students and is often linked to their academic identity, which could provoke negative emotions leading to the risk of burnout and dropping out of their studies. Although academic writing is a substantial part of doctoral students' learning journey, there are no existing recommendations to guide the provision of effective support addressing nursing and midwifery doctoral students' needs in academic writing. This review aims to identify the key considerations that could facilitate education facilities and educators to provide effective support for academic writing among nursing and midwifery doctoral students, fostering a supportive environment for guidance and development. DESIGN: The review team was co-led by two doctoral students and two academics with all the team members being doctoral students at the School of Nursing and Midwifery in a research-intensive university. Seven databases were searched in February 2022 with an updated search conducted in July 2023. This review was guided by the methodological framework for scoping reviews: PRISMA for Scoping Review Checklist and Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Manual for Evidence Synthesis. A narrative synthesis was conducted to analyse the data. RESULTS: A total of 11 papers were included. Six key considerations for developing effective academic writing support were identified including modes of delivery; barriers to writing; accountability and productivity; building group identity, collegiality and a sense of community; peer review, and behavioural change in writing practice. CONCLUSIONS: Findings highlighted that both face-to-face and online writing support groups enhance doctoral students' motivation and confidence in writing. The opportunity of active engagement, sharing writing commitments and short bursts of writing practice is pivotal in promoting doctoral students' writing productivity and satisfaction resulting in a higher on-time completion rate. Future studies should focus on the nursing and midwifery students' educational needs in academic writing.

Evaluation of a pregnancy loss education intervention for undergraduate nursing students in Northern Ireland: A pre- and post-test study.

BACKGROUND: Research highlights the importance of compassionate communication, adequate delivery of information, and professional support to help alleviate parental distress following pregnancy loss. However, many healthcare professionals do not feel sufficiently trained to deal with pregnancy loss in practice. We aimed to address this deficiency with an evidence-informed educational intervention to increase knowledge, skills, self-awareness, and confidence regarding pregnancy loss among UK nursing students. METHODS: Educational resources, which included an 82-minute podcast and 40-minute online lecture were developed. The podcast focused on the lived experiences of three women who had experienced miscarriage, stillbirth, and termination of pregnancy for medical reasons. The pre-recorded lecture included definitions of types of pregnancy loss, discussion of the importance of communication, and information on the clinical management of pregnancy loss. Students were presented with both the lecture and podcast as a self-directed element of existing curricula. A pre-test/post-test cross-sectional survey design was used to investigate the impact of the educational intervention. The Perinatal Bereavement Care Confidence Scale (PBCCS) was completed by 244 first year BSc Nursing students before and up to a week after receiving the intervention. Quantitative data were analysed using a Paired Samples Wilcoxon test. Responses to open-ended questions, which allowed students to give feedback on the intervention content and delivery were analysed using Qualitative Content Analysis. RESULTS: 96% (n = 235) of the sample reported having no prior experience or training in the management and support of those experiencing pregnancy loss. At pre-test, 88% (n = 215) of students rated themselves as not confident in dealing with pregnancy loss in a professional capacity. Post-test, we found statistically significant effects for perceived competency on all learning outcomes (p < .001). Qualitative analysis of n = 745 individual text responses to open-ended questions indicated four categories related to the perceived value of using real-life stories for learning, demystifying a taboo subject, and providing tools for practice. Respondents suggested the inclusion of more information on memory-making, support networks, and mental health following pregnancy loss. CONCLUSIONS: The educational intervention increased student nurses' perceived knowledge, confidence, and skills in caring for families experiencing pregnancy loss. This offers potential for increased quality of care for those experiencing pregnancy loss in healthcare settings, increased patient satisfaction, and improved mental health-related outcomes.

Pregnancy loss following miscarriage and termination of pregnancy for medical reasons during the COVID-19 pandemic: a thematic analysis of women's experiences of healthcare on the island of Ireland.

BACKGROUND: Losing a baby during pregnancy can be a devastating experience for expectant parents. Many report dedicated, compassionate healthcare provision as a facilitator of positive mental health outcomes, however, healthcare services have been severely impacted during the COVID-19 pandemic. AIM: To explore women's experiences of healthcare service provision for miscarriage and termination of pregnancy for medical reasons (TFMR) on the island of Ireland during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Findings combine data from elements of two separate studies. Study 1 used a mixed methods approach with women who experienced miscarriage and attended a hospital in Northern Ireland. Study 2 was qualitative and examined experiences of TFMR in Northern Ireland and Ireland. Data analysed for this paper includes open-ended responses from 145 women to one survey question from Study 1, and semi-structured interview data with 12 women from Study 2. Data were analysed separately using Thematic Analysis and combined for presentation in this paper. RESULTS: Combined analysis of results indicated three themes, (1) Lonely and anxiety-provoking experiences; (2) Waiting for inadequate healthcare; and (3) The comfort of compassionate healthcare professionals. CONCLUSIONS: Women's experiences of healthcare provision were negatively impacted by COVID-19, with the exclusion of their partner in hospital, and delayed services highlighted as particularly distressing. Limited in-person interactions with health professionals appeared to compound difficulties. The lived experience of service users will be helpful in developing policies, guidelines, and training that balance both the need to minimise the risk of infection spread, with the emotional, psychological, and physical needs and wishes of parents. Further research is needed to explore the long-term impact of pregnancy loss during a pandemic on both parents and health professionals delivering care.

Factors affecting the emotional wellbeing of women and men who experience miscarriage in hospital settings: a scoping review.

BACKGROUND: Miscarriage can be a devastating event for women and men that can lead to short- and long-term emotional distress. Studies have reported associations between miscarriage and depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder in women. Men can also experience intense grief and sadness following their partner's miscarriage. While numerous studies have reported hospital-related factors impacting the emotional wellbeing of parents experiencing miscarriage, there is a lack of review evidence which synthesises the findings of current research. AIMS: The aim of this review was to synthesise the findings of studies of emotional distress and wellbeing among women and men experiencing miscarriage in hospital settings. METHODS: A systematic search of the literature was conducted in October 2020 across three different databases (CINAHL, MEDLINE and PsycInfo) and relevant charity organisation websites, Google, and OpenGrey. A Mixed Methods appraisal tool (MMAT) and AACODS checklist were used to assess the quality of primary studies. RESULTS: Thirty studies were included in this review representing qualitative (N = 21), quantitative (N = 7), and mixed-methods (N = 2) research from eleven countries. Findings indicated that women and men's emotional wellbeing is influenced by interactions with health professionals, provision of information, and the hospital environment. Parents' experiences in hospitals were characterised by a perceived lack of understanding among healthcare professionals of the significance of their loss and emotional support required. Parents reported that their distress was exacerbated by a lack of information, support, and feelings of isolation in the aftermath of miscarriage. Further, concerns were expressed about the hospital environment, in particular the lack of privacy. CONCLUSION: Women and men are dissatisfied with the emotional support received in hospital settings and describe a number of hospital-related factors as exacerbators of emotional distress. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: This review highlights the need for hospitals to take evidence-informed action to improve emotional support services for people experiencing miscarriage within their services.