Enhancing midwifery course curricula: validating knowledge and skills in climate change and planetary health

Problem and Background

Undergraduate midwifery courses prepare students for the care of childbearing women and their infants but lack specific content and skill development related to addressing the effects of a warming climate and increasing severe weather events. .A framework of Planetary Health nursing domains including: 1) The science of planetary Health and climate change, 2) Mitigation of the adverse impacts of healthcare on the environment, and 3) Adaptation to the actual and expected impacts of climate change on health care and health outcomes were identified from a previous Delphi study. These needed validation for use in undergraduate midwifery programs

Aim

To validate previously identified nursing domains, knowledge, and skill statements and determine their appropriateness for undergraduate midwifery curricula in Australia.

Methods

A modified Nominal Group Technique was used to ensure all seven participants, who were midwifery academics from multiple sites with an interest in Planetary Health, had the opportunity to voice their opinions and ideas in order to achieve consensus on the previously created nursing domains.

Findings

Minimal changes to the nursing knowledge and skills statements were deemed necessary to ensure their relevance to midwifery programs.

Discussion

Midwives promote the health of childbearing women by addressing environmental and social determinants of health. The warming climate and increasing number of severe weather events pose increased hazards for perinatal health. All midwifery graduates need the knowledge and skills to advocate for, and address environmental and social determinants of health, contribute to planetary health, bolster resilience and diminish community vulnerability to climate change. The incorporation of these Planetary Health domains into midwifery curricula will help address the current gap.

Conclusion

This study provided content and face validity for previously developed knowledge and skills statements on planetary health, climate change and sustainability for use within undergraduate midwifery courses.