Women-centred care and caseload models of midwifery.
OBJECTIVE
A partnership caseload model of midwifery-led practice was developed and introduced as an option of maternity care for low risk women at our local health service. To assess the benefits of this new practice model, aspects of continuity, choice, control and satisfaction were examined in women receiving Primary Health Midwifery Care (PHMC) and standard hospital care (SHC).


METHODS
A descriptive comparative design was used and survey data were collected using a modified version of the Mason Survey of Womens' Experience of Maternity Care from a convenience sample of women receiving PHMC (n = 357) and SHC (n = 202) from a large metropolitan health service.


RESULTS
Overall, more women receiving PHMC experienced key aspects of women-centered care-choice, control and continuity than women receiving SHC.


CONCLUSIONS
This study, within the limitations of its design and sample size, confirms that low risk women have positively responded to partnership caseload midwifery practice, and the practice model has supported women-centred care with special benefits for primipara women.
School of Nursing Family and Community Health, College of Social and Health Sciences, University of Western Sydney. m.johnson@uws.edu.au
Maree
M
Johnson
Helen
H
Stewart
Rachel
R
Langdon
Pauline
P
Kelly
Lian
L
Yong
D000328:Adult; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008880:Midwifery / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016294:Models, Nursing; D009517:New South Wales; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010317:Partnership Practice / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018802:Patient-Centered Care / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011181:Postnatal Care / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011247:Pregnancy; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data