FHS Monthly Newsletter
Website: http://www.um.edu.mt/healthsciences; E-mail: healthsciences@um.edu.mt; Tel: 23401830
FHS Monthly Newsletter: March 2013
RESARCH, PUBLICATIONS & PRESENTATIONS
Publications by the Department of Midwifery, FHS
(A) Early parenting – portraits from the lives of first-time parents Journal of
Reproductive and Infant Psychology, Volume 30, Issue 5, 2012, pages 468, 482.Rita
Borg Xuereb, Angela Abela & Georgette Spiteri
Abstract:
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Objective: The study aimed to explore the experiences of first-time Maltese parents
between pregnancy and the first six months in the postnatal period.
Background: Parents’ interaction with their children appears to have an important and
lasting effect on children’s cognitive and behavioural development. While both women
and men anticipate equal involvement in child care, it is generally the woman who
assumes primary responsibility when the new baby arrives.
Methods: The qualitative paradigm was used to conduct the study by means of a semistructured interview schedule. Data was collected at 28 weeks gestation, at 6 weeks
postnatal and at 6 months postnatal. Twenty-six first-time parents (13 couples)
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participated in the study and were recruited by purposive sampling. Gender theory was
used as the theoretical framework to guide this study. Interpretative phenomenological
analysis was used during the analysing phase.
Results: Two main super-ordinate themes were revealed from this study: ‘Pregnancy as
a time of preparation’ and ‘The postnatal period as a time of critical change in the
lifeworld of the couple’.
Conclusion: Findings showed that competent and timely support by trained
professionals could equip future couples for the art of parenting and could help parents
to resolve challenges before they escalate into problems. This study encourages crosscultural research on this topic so as to shed light on differences and similarities of
contemporary early parenting challenges and outcomes.
(B) Going back to work after childbirth: women’s lived experiences. Journal of
Reproductive and Infant Psychology, Volume 30, Issue 2, 2012 Georgette Spiteri &
Rita Borg Xuereb
Abstract
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Objective: The study aimed at understanding the experiences of first-time mothers who
returned to work after paid maternity leave. It explored the challenges new mothers
faced during the transition of having a baby, taking 14 weeks of paid maternity leave
and then returning to work.
Background: Traditionally women left paid employment and stayed at home while
their children were still young, but recent times have seen a change in local women’s
labour force participation and the actual lived experiences of Maltese women in the
context of transition to parenthood had not been explored. Society still seems to expect
that the idea of balancing work and family life is principally a women’s issue as
traditional gender roles still appear to prevail.
Methods: The qualitative paradigm was used to conduct the study by means of a semistructured interview schedule at three different phases throughout the experience. Ten
women were chosen to participate in this study by purposive sampling. The theoretical
framework used to guide this thesis included phenomenology, transitional theory as
described by van Gennep and feminism. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was
used during the analysing phase.
Results: The resulting three super-ordinate themes identified how after childbirth
maternity leave is ‘a time of preparation and planning ahead’ followed by a period when
‘lightening strikes on rejoining the workforce’ and ‘weathering the storm’ via an
attempt to balance work and family life.
Conclusion: Findings showed that while society encourages mothers to return to work
after the birth of their children, few attempts have actually been made to support them
during this delicate transition. This study identified the need to improve local policy
with regards to family-friendly measures and the importance of an increase in local
maternity leave duration. Moreover, the midwife was identified as an important figure
that can help empower mothers and prepare them for what is yet to come.
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PAST EVENTS
Mr Martin Ward, Department of Nursing, in Sorrento, January, 2013.
In January 2013, Mr Martin Ward, Department of Nursing, Mental Health, attended, as a senior
advisor, the European Head of Country Psychiatric Nursing meeting in Sorrento to discuss the
upcoming EU Parliament vote on Directive 2005/36/EC, Modernisation of Professional
Qualifications. It has been proposed that the number of basic education years required by
nurses to enter into university nursing programmes be reduced from 12 years to 10 years. A
provisional vote by MEPs last autumn accepted this, much to the anger of most national bodies.
With few exceptions, most notably Germany, European Nursing organisations want the limit to
remain at 12 years and in the case of psychiatric nursing Germany is the only country that
rejects this. Horatio: European Psychiatric Nurses argue that this devalues the nursing
programmes against other professional groups as well as reducing the academic quality of
potential students. They state that at a time when other professions are raising standards nursing
appears to be lowering theirs.
The meeting firmly supported the retention of the 12 year entrance period and organisations
have been lobbying their MEPs accordingly ever since, pointing out that few, if any, bothered
to consult with their national groups about the significance of the parliamentary vote. The final
decision will be taken in March 2013.
The Bowling Teambuilding Activity
The Bowling Teambuilding Activity on the 27th February was a huge success! Some members
of staff proved to have a hidden talent, others not…but we won’t be mentioning any
names!! Either way, it was great fun!!
The organisers are already thinking about the next activity for which they hope to have a better
attendance.
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Research Seminars
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Dr Ritienne Grima, Department of Communications Therapy, 12th
December, 2012: The performance of Maltese-speaking adults on the Boston
Naming Test.
Abstract: The Boston Naming Test (Kaplan et al 1983) is standardised on different populations
and it is the most widely used naming test worldwide in both research and clinical settings.
This test was used to investigate naming performance in Maltese-speaking adults in a bilingual
context.
The first part of the research aimed to determine the demographic and word variables that
affect naming performance in healthy Maltese people. It also aimed to propose an adaptation
of the BNT to suit the linguistic and cultural characteristics of the Maltese population. The
second part of the research, then, applied the findings obtained initially to establish whether
the proposed test could be used clinically to assess Maltese people with naming impairments.
The research on healthy Maltese adults showed that education was the strongest predictor of
naming accuracy, while age was the strongest predictor of naming latency. A reduced set of
the BNT with lenient scoring was recommended as the most suitable adaptation of the BNT for
assessing Maltese people at risk of naming impairments.
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Ms Josephine Attard, Department of Midwifery, 9th January, 2013:
Framework of competencies in spiritual care for nurses and midwives: A Modified
Delphi Study by Ms Josephine Attard (Midwifery lecturer, PhD student)
Abstract: Spiritual care was identified by nursing and midwifery educational and professional
Bodies and research as an area that merits competence at point of registration. The
discrepancy between the teaching of spiritual care and its delivery in clinical practice proposes
the need for the development of a framework of competencies in spiritual care in order to equip
nursing and midwifery students in meeting clients’ spiritual needs. . The research study
adopting a mixed method approach is conducted under the supervision of the University of
Glamorgan and University of Malta. The study aims to develop a set of competencies drafted
from a systematic literature review and focus groups utilizing case scenario approach in order
to identify what nurses/midwives need to know, be able to do, or think, in order to meet the
spiritual needs of the clients. The identified competencies in spiritual care will undergo expert
scrutiny through a Modified Delphi Method approach. This will be followed by a consultation
process with nursing and midwifery researchers to ascertain views on the proposed
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competency framework and identify factors that facilitate or hinder the integration of the
framework in nursing and midwifery education and clinical practice.
It is hoped that this study will prevent assumptions regarding spiritual care, guide the
education and professional sectors and equip the nurses and midwives with the necessary
knowledge, skills and attitudes in spiritual care at point of registration.
We would like to thank both Ritienne and Josephine for their interesting presentations.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Baby News!
Baby Giulia was born on the 3rd March, 2013 to Ms Juanita Briffa, Administrative Assistant,
Faculty of Health Sciences.
Congratulations Juanita!
Promoted to Visiting Senior Lecturers, Department of Communication Therapy
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Dr Joseph Agius
Dr Rachel Agius
Dr Rita Micallef
We congratulate Joseph, Rachel and Rita for their achievement.
Visiting lecturer – Faculty of Medicine, University of Newcastle, UK
Dr Rita Borg Xuereb, Head of Department, Midwifery was appointed visiting Lecturer with the
School of Health and Society, Faculty of Medicine, University of Newcastle, UK.
Well done Rita!
A Lifelong Learning Programme Erasmus Intensive Programmes (IP) entitled Predictive
Modelling and Risk Assessment, hosted at FHS – Department of Food Studies and
Environmental Health between 24.03.13-06.04.13.
The specific objectives of this IP (thematic area of Predictive Modelling and Quantitative Risk
Assessment) are outlined hereunder:•
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to develop each participants capacity to design and generate informative experimental
data;
to build skills in developing or selecting modelling structures appropriate to describe
quantitatively chemical, microbiological and physical phenomena and develop
capabilities for quantifying accurately the sources of stochasticity;
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to make participants familiar with optimisation software and model simulation in
research, that can be exploited for developing decision-making and quantitative risk
assessment tools.
The target group of this IP are MScs or early stage PhD researchers working in the areas of
public health, applied statistics, quantitative microbial/chemical risk assessment, food safety,
process automation, food manufacturing. The programme will aim to promote an interactive
participation, which will stimulate frank and open discussions between young and experienced
postgraduate researchers.
Information about the participating Institutes, Programme etc. can be found at
http://staff.um.edu.mt/vasilis.valdramidis/Erasmus_IP
FIRE DRILL Wed 10 and 17 April, 2013
Please be informed that fire drills are to be carried out at FHS as follows:
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Wednesday, 10th April at 10.00: Administration Block
Wednesday, 17th April at 10.00: Lab Block
The fire drill will take approximately 30 minutes, during which time the fire alarm will sound
in the above areas. Both Academic and administrative staff are kindly requested to familiarise
themselves fire drill procedure, to be sent separately.
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