Student midwives from Keele University have been praised for their professionalism following their contribution to recent international research.

Dr Angela Hancock and Joanne Cookson, from Keele’s School of Nursing and Midwifery, have been working alongside Associate Professor Stacey Van Gelderen from the School of Nursing at Minnesota State University, USA, whose Van Gelderen Family Care Rubric (VGFCR) was originally developed and validated to measure students’ communication and family caring skills.

Professor Van Gelderen spent time at Keele last August with second-year midwifery students, who contributed to her research by completing clinical simulations of obstetric emergencies while their peers watched via a video link, using the rubric to score them and give them constructive feedback.

Now, one year after Professor Van Gelderen’s visit, Dr Hancock was invited to Washington DC to help present the findings from Keele’s side of the research, including leading a simulation workshop at Children's National Hospital and giving a podium presentation focused on an element of the research conducted at Keele to validate the rubric.

Dr Hancock said: “It has been a great experience to collaborate with international education and simulation experts on this project. Not only did this provide a fantastic learning opportunity for Keele student midwives who participated in the project but will also help develop and inform future work in this area at Keele.

“Disseminating this work to an international audience at the International Family Nursing Association Conference strengthened this international collaboration and provided networking opportunities to learn about the many inspiring ways that family-focused care is embedded in health education and practice around the world.”

Professor Van Gelderen added: “I have been so appreciative of the opportunity to conduct an international research project with expert academics, Dr Angela Hancock and Mrs Joanne Cookson. I have felt very welcomed and the students were so engaged and committed when participating in the study. Keele University should be so proud of its students’ abilities to provide excellent family-centred care.”

Dr Amanda Garrow, a Children's nurse from the UK and Associate Professor / Simulation Specialist at Children's National Hospital in Washington DC; Dr Angela Hancock from Keele University; and Associate Professor Stacey Van Gelderen from the School of Nursing at Minnesota State University, USA