If you decide you want to take part in the research project, you will be asked to sign the consent section.  By signing it you are telling us that you:

• Understand what you have read;

• Consent to take part in the research project;

• Consent to be involved in the research described;

• Consent to the use of your personal information as described.

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What is this project about?

This project aims to co-develop an evidence based mentoring program specific to the needs of mid-career midwives working within the clinical setting, with relevant key stakeholders and midwives. The objectives of the study aim to confirm whether a mentoring program is warranted by key stakeholders, explore the barriers and enablers of a mentoring program for midwives, establish organisational readiness for change, especially for the implementation of long-term success of a mentoring program for midwives, explore the feasibility of a mentoring program and last, evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of the mentoring program by midwives. There is recent evidence that work-related burnout, lack of wellbeing, poor organisational culture and poor emotional health are associated with poor patient safety outcomes and significantly contribute to the reasons midwives are leaving the profession. However, evidence suggests that mentoring programs have the ability to improve job satisfaction, workplace culture, reduce burnout and improve staff retention. Mentoring programs are commonly integrated in student midwifery programs and early career transitions into practice which have been successful, however, midwives that are experienced need to be retained in the profession. Therefore, this study aims to address the gap in knowledge by the co-development, implementation and evaluation of a mentoring program specially designed for mid-career midwives to improve the midwifery workforce attrition.

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What does my participation involve?

Your participation in this research project will involve on-going collaboration as a focus group with the principal investigator, Krystyl Wissemann, through various stages of the blueprint mentoring program development. It is anticipated in the initial stages, a three to four rounds of one-hour meetings that will be conducted over Microsoft teams. It is anticipated that the development of the blueprint will occur over a six-month period. The principal investigator will identify what are the key features of a successful midwifery mentoring program and what contextual factors need to be considered to successfully implement a mentoring program fit for midwives working within the clinical setting. It is anticipated that after the mentoring program blueprint has been developed by the key stakeholders, the program will be piloted and evaluated by midwives (mentors and mentees), following the evaluation, the focus groups will be reinstated to amend the blueprint according to the evaluation process.  The is no incentive or reimbursement for participating in this study. With the participants’ consent, the consultation will be recorded for the principal investigator to access at a later date.

Do I have to take part in this research project?

Your participation in this research project is voluntary.  If you do not wish to take part, you do not have to.  If you decide to take part and later change your mind, you are free to withdraw from the project at any time, however withdrawal of any information exchanged in the focus group cannot take place after the transcripts and field notes have been analysed. The candidate will inform you when the analysis phase is taking place and provide an opportunity for you to amend or withdraw your comments. Once the analysis section has started, and your information will be de-identified, therefore, your comments cannot be withdrawn from the study.

If you do decide to take part, you will continue to fill your details out below, in which will be taken as signing a consent form to participate in the study. Your decision to take part, or withdraw, will not affect your relationship with the research team and your place of employment.

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Your privacy

By signing the consent form, you consent to the research team collecting and using personal information about you for the research project.  Any information obtained in connection with this research project that can identify you will remain confidential. The data will be transcribed and deidentified in the analysis section. Only the principal investigator and research team will have the identifying data.  Your information will only be used for the purpose of this research project. It is anticipated that the results of this research project will be published and/or presented in a variety of forums.  In any publication and/or presentation, information will be provided in such a way that you cannot be identified.

In accordance with relevant Australian and/or Western Australian privacy and other relevant laws, you have the right to request access to the information about you that is collected and stored by the research team.  You also have the right to request that any information with which you disagree be corrected.  Please inform the research team member named at the end of this letter if you would like to access your information.

All data collected will be kept in accordance with ECU’s Data Management Policy.  Electronic data will be stored on a secure Microsoft SharePoint site provisioned by ECU’s IT Services and physical records will be stored as required in ECU’s Records Management Policy.  The data will be retained for seven years and destroyed, if appropriate at the end of the retention period.  Data will be de-identified when stored and at the end of the retention period, the data will be destroyed, if appropriate under the State Records Act.

Possible Benefits

We cannot guarantee or promise that you will receive any benefits from this research, however possible benefits may include contributing to the midwifery profession and assist the research team attempting to improve the midwifery workforce attrition.

Possible Risks and Risk Management Plan

There are no known significant risks to participating in this research project. However, you may feel that some of the questions we ask are stressful or upsetting.  If you do not wish to answer a question, you may skip it and go to the next question, or you may stop immediately.  If you become upset or worried as a result of your participation in the research project, please seek the advice of your GP or relevant health professional. You may also wish to contact the 24/7 national Midwifery and Nursing Support Services.

What happens when this research study stops?

We will advise you of the outcomes via email.  We also intend to publish our results in research journals and present them at research conferences locally, nationally and internationally.  Your name or any other identifying information will not be included in any of the publications or presentations.

Has this research been approved?

This research project has received the approval of Edith Cowan University’s Human Research Ethics Committee, in accordance with the National Health and Medical Research Council’s National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research 2007 (Updated 2018).  The approval number is 2023-04570- WISSEMANN