Pien Offerhaus1, Margot Fleuren, Michel Wensing. 1. Centre for Quality of Care Research (WOK), University Medical Centre, St Radboud Nijmegen, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To assess the adherence and perceived barriers for implementation of a clinical-practice guideline on anaemia, which was the first national guideline for primary-care midwifery in The Netherlands. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey study. SETTING: Primary-care midwifery in The Netherlands. PARTICIPANTS: 160 midwives (60% response rate). MEASUREMENTS: Questionnaire on the knowledge of, and attitudes and self-reported adherence to, 14 key recommendations in the guideline; attitudes to guidelines in general; and perceived barriers to implementation. FINDINGS: The number of midwives agreeing with and adhering to specific recommendations varied between 29 and 90%. Most midwives had a positive attitude to the guidelines. The most relevant general barriers were related to the behaviour of general practitioners and obstetricians (32% of the midwives reported this). Larger numbers of midwives mentioned barriers to specific aspects of the guideline, particularly alternative iron supplementation or dietary supplements (59%), and not prescribing iron supplementation if haemoglobin was low but mean corpuscular volume was normal (49%). KEY CONCLUSIONS: The guideline on anaemia was well received by primary-care midwives in The Netherlands, but implementation of specific recommendations needs further attention. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The study provides evidence for the national organisation of midwives to continue with the development and implementation of clinical guidelines.
OBJECTIVE: To assess the adherence and perceived barriers for implementation of a clinical-practice guideline on anaemia, which was the first national guideline for primary-care midwifery in The Netherlands. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey study. SETTING: Primary-care midwifery in The Netherlands. PARTICIPANTS: 160 midwives (60% response rate). MEASUREMENTS: Questionnaire on the knowledge of, and attitudes and self-reported adherence to, 14 key recommendations in the guideline; attitudes to guidelines in general; and perceived barriers to implementation. FINDINGS: The number of midwives agreeing with and adhering to specific recommendations varied between 29 and 90%. Most midwives had a positive attitude to the guidelines. The most relevant general barriers were related to the behaviour of general practitioners and obstetricians (32% of the midwives reported this). Larger numbers of midwives mentioned barriers to specific aspects of the guideline, particularly alternative iron supplementation or dietary supplements (59%), and not prescribing iron supplementation if haemoglobin was low but mean corpuscular volume was normal (49%). KEY CONCLUSIONS: The guideline on anaemia was well received by primary-care midwives in The Netherlands, but implementation of specific recommendations needs further attention. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The study provides evidence for the national organisation of midwives to continue with the development and implementation of clinical guidelines.
Authors: Pim van Montfort; Luc J M Smits; Ivo M A van Dooren; Stéphanie M P Lemmens; Maartje Zelis; Iris M Zwaan; Marc E A Spaanderman; Hubertina C J Scheepers Journal: Med Decis Making Date: 2019-12-02 Impact factor: 2.583