Ms Carmel Bradshaw

RGN, RM, Dip., MSc, Grad Dip,

Biography

A midwife and nurse with considerable experience in clinical midwifery, midwifery management and midwifery education.

Research interests include:
Ascertaining the experiences of women using maternity services and determining what women want from maternity services,
Care of women with high risk and/or complicated pregnancies
Assessment of clinical skills in a university setting
Clinical and competency assessment in undergraduate midwifery education programmes and
Management of change in midwifery practice

The recent publication of the Midwife Registration Programme Standards and Requirements 4^th Edition document was led by Carmel at the request of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI). This national project involved extensive consultation with all of the relevant stakeholders including maternity services user groups. This was a fantastic opportunity to influence the development and enhancement of midwifery undergraduate education and Carmel is very appreciative of the support and assistance in the production of the document by working party members and by the NMBI and of course by the numerous submissions from all involved in midwifery education and in the maternity services. It is hoped that the newly revised Standards and Requirements for the Midwifery programme will be instrumental in ensuring that our newly prepared midwifery graduates can bring life to the vision of maternity services, recently published in the National Maternity Strategy detailed below

Women and babies have access to safe, high quality care in a setting that is most appropriate to their needs; women and families are placed at the centre of all services, and are treated with dignity, respect and compassion; parents are supported before, during and after pregnancy to allow them to give their child the best possible start in life (Dept. of Health Creating a Better Future Together National Maternity Strategy 2016-2026)

Research Interests

Research interests include:

Ascertaining the experiences of women using maternity services and determining what women want from maternity services,
Care of women with high risk and/or complicated pregnancies
Assessment of clinical skills in a university setting
Clinical and competency assessment in undergraduate midwifery education programmes and
Management of change in midwifery practice

Teaching Interests

I have been very fortunate to have had the opportunity to teach on a wide variety of modules and programmes in my teaching career which commenced in 1998.
My principal interest is in midwifery and I have taught on all aspects of the undergraduate midwifery curricula, postgraduate modules and I have successfully supervised a number of nurses and midwives undertaking taught Masters qualifications. I have also taught on undergraduate nursing programmes with a particular focus on maternity care and on communication.

I have a particular interest in teaching which involves the promotion of normal birth but also in the care of women whose pregnancies are complicated by pre existing conditions and those whose pregnancies are considered high risk. I am also very interested in health care management, clinical governance and clinical risk assessment