Poor knowledge and misunderstandings: perinatal data validity and work place change in midwifery.
The purpose of this study was to improve the validity of data by empowering midwives to change inefficient work place practices. An easily accessible package was designed to enable midwives to compare how closely the information they recorded on the original perinatal morbidity statistics form corresponds with information recorded in the medical record: 37 hospitals validated 2197 medical records. The results showed that whilst most information was recorded reliably, some items caused problems for those completing the form. The findings encouraged midwives to change inefficient data collection practices. The project has improved the validity of data plus reduced the workloads of hospitals and the Perinatal Data Collection Unit with respect to queried items.
Robertson
H
H
Victorian Perinatal Data Collection Unit, Department of Health and Community Services, Fitzroy, Melbourne, Australia.
D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods; D017598:Efficiency, Organizational / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009721:Nurse Midwives / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009737:Nursing Records / Q000592:standards*; D018743:Perinatal Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014739:Victoria