Exploring the STEP-uP to practice: A survey of UK Lead Midwives for Education views of the STudent midwife Extended Practice Placement during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: to assess the effect of implementation of the extended placement option available to midwifery students during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. DESIGN: Online survey open from 2nd June 2020 to 15th July 2020. SETTING: United Kingdom. PARTICIPANTS: Lead Midwives for Education (LMEs). FINDINGS: A total of 38 of 55 LMEs responded (response rate 69%). The majority of Approved Education Institutions (AEIs) offered an extended placement to students, but with some variation in the choices offered, unrelated to geographical location or size of student cohort. AEIs appeared to provide the majority of decisional support for students. Many practice learning environments became unavailable, particularly community, gynaecology/medical wards and neonatal units. LMEs experienced both internal and external pressures to instigate rapid change. KEY CONCLUSIONS: The impact of COVID-19 on midwifery education is significant and will need continual scrutiny to minimise future detriment. The pressures of providing midwifery education throughout the early phase of COVID-19 were substantial, but it is important that we learn from the immediate changes made, value and pursue the changes that have been beneficial, and learn from those that were not. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE/RESEARCH: Student learning experiences have undergone significant change during the pandemic. It is essential to assess what effect the extended placement has had on student readiness for practice, their confidence, resilience, mental health, and attrition and retention. Educators transitioned to remote working, and rapidly assimilated new skills for online education; exploration of the impact of this is recommended.

Dental trauma in an Australian rural centre.

BACKGROUND/AIM: There is little epidemiological research regarding dental trauma in Australia. Previous research has largely focused on specific sub-populations with data not necessarily applicable to a general rural Australian population. Studies from other countries have presented variable data and the relevance of their findings to the Australian setting is questionable. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence, causes and presentation of dental trauma in a large rural centre in Australia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed of the dental records of 323 consecutive patients who had attended a private general dental practice in Bunbury, Western Australia following an injury to their teeth and/or mouths during the period from May 2000 to December 2005 (inclusive). Injuries were classified using the Andreasen system (1994). Data analysis was carried out using spss software and Chi-Square tests were performed with the level of significance set at 5%. RESULTS: There were 528 teeth injured and eight patients had only soft tissue injuries. Males (68.1%) significantly outnumbered females (31.9%) and the ages ranged from 10 months to 78 years. The highest number of injuries occurred in children and adolescents, specifically the 0- to 4-year age group followed by the 5- to 9-year age and 10- to 14-year age groups. Trauma was most frequently the result of falls, accidents while playing and participating in sports activities. CONCLUSIONS: The maxillary central incisors were the most commonly injured teeth in both the primary and permanent dentitions. Uncomplicated crown fractures were the most common injury followed by luxations and subluxations. No significant differences in frequency were reported for the different days of the week, the different months or seasons of the year. Only one-third of the patients presented for dental treatment within 24 h of the injury while the remainder delayed seeking treatment for varying times up to 1 year.