Practice nurses and providing preconception care to women in Australia: a qualitative study
Ruth Walker A , Pragya Kandel A , Briony Hill A , Sharon Hills B , James Dunbar C and Helen Skouteris A DA Monash Centre for Health Research and Implementation, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, 41–53 Kanooka Grove, Clayton, Vic. 3168, Australia.
B St Kilda Medical Group, 81 Grey Street, St Kilda, Vic. 3182, Australia.
C Deakin Rural Health, School of Medicine, Deakin University, PO Box 423, Warrnambool, Vic. 3280, Australia.
D Warwick Business School, University of Warwick, Scarman Road, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK.
E Corresponding author. Email: ruth.walker@monash.edu
Australian Journal of Primary Health 27(1) 13-21 https://doi.org/10.1071/PY20072
Submitted: 2 April 2020 Accepted: 30 June 2020 Published: 8 September 2020
Abstract
The aims of this study were to explore women’s and health professionals’ perspectives of preconception care and whether expanding the role of practice nurses (PNs) to provide preconception care is acceptable. In a descriptive qualitative approach, 23 semistructured interviews and three focus groups were conducted with women (n = 14), PNs (n = 8), GPs (n = 10) and practice managers (n = 2) in the state of Victoria, Australia, between September and December 2019. An inductive process of thematic analysis identified five themes and 12 subthemes. Women and health professionals viewed preconception to be when a woman is planning a pregnancy. Women wanted personalised preconception care, and receiving this from a PN was considered to be acceptable. If the role of PNs is expanded, PNs would require training and professional recognition of their role to provide preconception care. Funding barriers were discussed by PNs, GPs and practice managers, along with potential solutions, such as Medicare item numbers and checklists to streamline consultations. Other resources in the wider community, such as schools, were identified as important aspects of a coordinated approach. Overall, expanding the role of PNs to provide preconception care was acceptable to women and health professionals to increase women’s awareness and uptake of preconception care.
Additional keywords: primary health care, women’s health service, professional practice.
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