Developing initial programme theories for a realist synthesis on digital clinical consultations in maternity care: contributions from stakeholder involvement

Evans, Catrin; Clancy, Georgia; Evans, Kerry; Booth, Andrew; Nazmeen, Benash; Timmons, Stephen; Sunney, Candice; Clowes, Mark; Wyn Jones, Nia; Spiby, Helen

Abstract

Background: The COVID pandemic prompted an increase in the use of digital clinical consultations (telephone or video calls) within midwifery and nursing care. This paper reports on a realist review project related to maternity care that seeks to illuminate for whom such consultations can safely and acceptably be used, how, for what purposes and in what contexts.

Aims: This paper addresses the first phase of a realist enquiry – initial programme theory development – focusing particularly on the role of stakeholder involvement (including digital transformation leaders, midwives, obstetricians, service users and community organisations).

Methods: Three sub-stages of initial programme theory development are described highlighting the contribution of stakeholder groups to each stage: (i) consultation to focus the review question, (ii) focused searching and (iii) further consultation.

Results: Realist literature searching strategies yielded limited theory-rich evidence on digital consultations. Stakeholders provided essential additional contributions resulting in the development of 13 initial programme theories and a conceptual framework.

Conclusions: More research on the implementation of virtual midwifery/nursing consultations is needed. Nursing/midwifery digital researchers should involve stakeholders to help shape research priorities, deepen contextual understanding and sense-check emerging findings.

Citation

Evans, C., Clancy, G., Evans, K., Booth, A., Nazmeen, B., Timmons, S., …Spiby, H. (2024). Developing initial programme theories for a realist synthesis on digital clinical consultations in maternity care: contributions from stakeholder involvement. Journal of Research in Nursing, 29(2), 127-140. https://doi.org/10.1177/17449871241226911

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Nov 3, 2023
• Online Publication Date: Mar 8, 2024
• Publication Date: 2024-03
• Deposit Date: Apr 12, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 22, 2024
• Journal: Journal of Research in Nursing
• Print ISSN: 1744-9871
• Electronic ISSN: 1744-988X
• Publisher: SAGE Publications
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 29
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 127-140
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/17449871241226911
• Keywords: digital health, maternity, midwife, nurse, realist synthesis, stakeholder involvement, tele-health
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/33565879
• Publisher URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/17449871241226911