The DELIVER study; the impact of research capacity building on research, education, and practice in Dutch midwifery

Spelten, Evelien; Gitsels, Janneke; Verhoeven, Corine; Hutton, Eileen K.; Martin, Linda

Abstract

Background
Few examples exist of research capacity building (RCB) in midwifery. As in other jurisdictions, at the turn of this century midwives in the Netherlands lagged in research-based practice. Dutch professional and academic organisations recognised the need to proactively undertake RCB. This paper describes how a large national research project, the DELIVER study, contributed to RCB in Dutch midwifery.

Methods
Applying Cooke’s framework for RCB, we analysed the impact of the DELIVER study on RCB in midwifery with a document analysis comprising the following documents: annual reports on research output, websites of national organizations that might have implemented research findings, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM)), midwifery guidelines concerning DELIVER research topics, publicly available career information of the PhD students and a google search using the main research topic and name of the researcher to look for articles in public papers.

Results
The study provided an extensive database with nationally representative data on the quality and provision of midwifery-led care in the Netherlands. The DELIVER study resulted in 10 completed PhD projects and over 60 publications. Through close collaboration the study had direct impact on education of the next generation of primary, midwifery care practices and governmental and professional bodies.

Discussion
The DELIVER study was intended to boost the research profile of primary care midwifery. This reflection on the research capacity building components of the study shows that the study also impacted on education, policy, and the midwifery profession. As such the study shows that this investment in RCB has had a profound positive impact on primary care midwifery in the Netherlands.

Citation

Spelten, E., Gitsels, J., Verhoeven, C., Hutton, E. K., & Martin, L. (2023). The DELIVER study; the impact of research capacity building on research, education, and practice in Dutch midwifery. PLoS ONE, 18(10), Article e0287834. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0287834

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jun 14, 2023
• Online Publication Date: Oct 31, 2023
• Publication Date: 2023
• Deposit Date: Nov 8, 2023
• Publicly Available Date: Nov 10, 2023
• Journal: PLoS ONE
• Electronic ISSN: 1932-6203
• Publisher: Public Library of Science
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 18
• Issue: 10
• Article Number: e0287834
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0287834
• Keywords: Midwives; Netherlands; Labor and delivery; Careers in research; Health care policy; Pregnancy Questionnaires; Primary care
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/26811469
• Publisher URL: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0287834