ULO 9- Components of Effective Partnerships and Professional Relationships

Question 1

Define: Collaboration (in relation to maternity care)

Answer 1

is a dynamic process of facilitating communication, trust and pathways that enable health professionals to provide safe, woman-centred care

Question 2

What are the Principles of Collaboration in Midwifery

Answer 2

1. Maternity care collaboration places the woman at the centre of her own care, while supporting the professionals who are caring for her.
2. Collaboration enables women to choose care that is based on the best evidence and is appropriate for themselves.
3. Collaboration enables women to make informed decisions by ensuring that they are given information about all of their options.
4. Collaborating professionals, regardless of the model of care
5. Collaboration has an underpinning safety and quality framework that includes monitoring health outcomes for mothers and babies
6. Collaborating professionals respect and value each other’s roles, provide support to each other in their work and provide education to meet each other’s needs.
7. Collaboration is committed to joint education and training, following a consistent, agreed care plan
8. Collaboration aims to maximise a woman’s continuity of care and carer, throughout pregnancy, birth and the early postnatal period.
9. Collaboration aims to maximise a woman’s continuity of carer by providing a clear description of roles and responsibilities to support the person that a woman nominates to coordinate her care (her ‘maternity care coordinator’).

Question 3

List the key elements of Maternity Care Collaboration

Answer 3

• Woman-centred care and communication
• Communication among professionals
• Awareness of disciplines and autonomy
• Responsibility and accountability
• Cooperation and coordination
• Mutual trust and respect
• Policy, procedures and protocols
• Interprofessional learning
• Organisational support
• Systems

Question 4

Professional Collaboration requires what elements

Answer 4

• Mutual trust and respect (most important elements)
• roles to be defined and distinct, but also flexible
• fully respect each other’s professional autonomy.
• key decisions are made jointly by collaborating professionals
• Clearly documenting details of all referrals, consultations and decisions

Question 5

Explain: Antenatal care in a midwifery perspective

Answer 5

• it is a time of forming and building a relationship with each woman and those who are important to her.
• It is a time when a partnership is negotiated, roles and responsibilities are identified, information is shared, options are discussed, and choices are made and supported

Question 6

Compatibility in the Midwife/Woman relationship needs to occur at what 3 levels

Answer 6

Interpersonal
Professional
Practical

Question 7

Explain: Interpersonal level

Answer 7

The interpersonal dynamic is about a sense of relaxation and trust, and the ability to speak a social ‘language’ that the other feels comfortable with and understands

Question 8

Explain: Professional level

Answer 8

The way in which midwives practise professionally will vary according to these beliefs as well as their levels of experience, personal confidence and comfort zones, and their skills or knowledge base

Question 9

Explain: Practical level

Answer 9

is the availability of the midwife to provide care for the woman’s pregnancy, birth and postnatal period.

• It is appropriate for midwives to inform women about arrangements for back-up when they are unavailable to provide care

Question 10

Define: Communication

Answer 10

is a two-way process which involves ‘giving and receiving information, which requires efficient use of language, effective listening, observation, accurate interpretation, and appropriate responses to verbal and non-verbal clues

Question 11

Define: Collaboration in healthcare

Answer 11

occurs when experts from different disciplines work together in a combined effort to improve patients’ needs

Question 12

Define: Interprofessional collaboration

Answer 12

occurs when two or more experts from different disciplines take joint ownership of decisions and collective responsibility for outcomes when working across professional and functional boundaries

Question 13

Define: Woman-centred partnerships

Answer 13

supports collaboration, women are at the centre of their pregnancy and birth care and from that point all decisions are made