Recruitment and retention of midwifery academics across South ...

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Strategies to support the potential increase in student numbers inevitablydemand a corresponding increase in human and material resources. With nopossibility of increasing current undergraduate numbers in the direct entryprogramme, there remain contradictory views about the need to re-introduce the18 month programme and the Return to Midwifery programme. Both of theseinitiatives raised problems of subsequent retention in midwifery, of thoseconverting as well as raising retention issues for those returning. Without acorresponding strategy to address the issues in practice to retain registeredmidwives, the outflow from the profession is likely to continue.In conclusion, this study has revealed a number of recruitment and retentionissues pertaining to midwife academics in south west England, not least that,within five years time almost 80% of the current workforce will have either retiredor almost eligible to retire. Together with the current staff shortages in practicethere is a limited resource pool to draw from, at a time when the academicworkforce is reaching a crisis of numbers. Additionally, the participants in thepresent study found no easy solution to the problem of supporting an increasednumber of potential students over the next five years.6. RECOMMENDATIONS:1 Greater transparency in the process of recruitment into education isneeded, relying less on informal networks and encouraging an openmarket approach to attracting those with an aptitude for teaching to moveinto education.2 Those practitioners who formally contribute to the teaching of the highereducation programmes should be rewarded for their efforts. This is likelyto retain the informal ‘taster’ opportunities for those keen to pursue achange of direction into education.3 A concerted recruitment and awareness campaign should be harnessed toattract practitioners into a career in education.4 Comprehensive careers guidance at initial pre-qualifying stage (muchearlier than is currently the case) should be offered to help practitionersunderstand the expectations of a career in education and as such helpretain them once their choice is made.5 Given the potentially long career trajectory facing experienced midwives ineducation, this study supports others (Butterworth 2004, NHS 2006) inadvocating that education and practice sectors work together towardscollective solutions in the funding of the necessary educationalqualifications.6 There is a need for urgency to introduce equitable contractualarrangements to permit midwives to move, without penalty betweenpractice, education and research..7 Reinforcing the findings from the StLaR (Butterworth 2004) committee,this study advocates the need to reward teaching as well as research forthose seeking promotion in education40
8 To retain their currency in practice it is important for midwife academics todevelop an individualised approach to keep in touch with practice ratherthan offer any prescriptive model, with a need for further study to furtherexplore creative solutions.9 There is a recognized need for effective management of midwiferyacademics in allowing them to maintain control over their work.Management that is perceived to be overly controlling is detrimental toindividuals’ commitment to the organization and the work endeavour.10 Statistical evidence of the number of live births in each maternity unit isnecessary to predict student numbers for the future and appropriatelymanage the resources required.11 Any potential need for increased student numbers should be managedthrough the re-introduction of the 18 month programme and the Return toMidwifery programme. However, this should be done with caution toaddress the issues that previously saw many of the new nurse/midwivesreturn to nursing.41
Page 1: Centre for Learning and Workforce R
Page 4 and 5: AcknowledgementsThis study was fund
Page 6 and 7: 4. Discussion3.6.4 Summary 314.1 Co
Page 8 and 9: face/telephone interviews with each
Page 10 and 11: Management style• Participants in
Page 12 and 13: Recruitment and Retention of Midwif
Page 14 and 15: 1. the tension in their responsibil
Page 16 and 17: previous scoping exercise (Phase I)
Page 18 and 19: into categories and themes by one r
Page 20 and 21: Others were inspired by good role m
Page 22 and 23: ..there is no sort of succession pl
Page 24 and 25: This notion was not universally sha
Page 26 and 27: its very sad sometimes that the cal
Page 28 and 29: there’s a professional academia w
Page 30 and 31: to happen but it has the potential
Page 32 and 33: that’s when you get locked in the
Page 34 and 35: How to increase the student numbers
Page 36 and 37: identified that CPD was a means by
Page 38 and 39: having opportunities such as these,
Page 40 and 41: midwifery. This would no longer be
Page 44 and 45: ReferencesBall L, Curtis P. & Kirkh
Page 46 and 47: Sinclair M (2008) From research ass
Page 48 and 49: convenient for us to arrange this w
Page 50 and 51: Do I have to take part?Your decisio
Page 52 and 53: ) Please predict age band by grade
Page 54 and 55: Appendix VLetter of invitation focu
Page 56 and 57: The tapes will be then be transcrib
Page 58 and 59: Appendix VIIIInterview schedule for

Recruitment and retention of midwifery academics across South ...

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