The impact of a conducive birthing environment on women and babies: Global translation of an evidenced based midwife-led guideline and care pathway

Dr Maria Healy PhD, MSc, PG Dip, RGN, RM, RNT
Lecturer in Midwifery (Education)
School of Nursing and Midwifery, Queen’s University Belfast

Dr Healy as Principle Investigator or co-researcher over the last three years has accumulated considerable research funding. She initiated, chaired and co-project led the Development of RQIA (GAIN) guideline for admission to midwife-led units in Northern Ireland & Northern Ireland (NI) Normal labour and birth care pathway. This guideline has been implemented across NI HSC Trusts and in parts of England. It has generated huge international interest including a presentation at WHO HQ Global Midwifery Consultation (March, 2018). It has also been translated into Swedish, Spanish & Italian. She is also co-project lead on a RQIA, guideline for ‘Planning birth at home in Northern Ireland’ (nearing completion). Other research projects include: Systematic review of midwives practices in the second stage of labour; an evaluation of DOMINO and home birth services in the Republic of Ireland; COST Action STSM exploring home birth in the Netherlands; Women’s experiences of home birth and postnatal care in Ireland; Development of national home birth care audits in Ireland; Systematic review of home birth legislation and the integration of Art and Women’s childbirth experiences. Maria is a management committee member and part of working group two on the EU Birth Research project, (EU COST Action IS1405) and is an advisory board member of the EU Midwife-led Unit Network.

Dr Healy is a Registered Midwife (RM), Registered General Nurse (RGN) and Teacher (TCH) who has extensive experience in clinical midwifery practice, continuing to work regularly as a bank midwife in the Western Health and Social Care Trust. She is an Ulster University (UU), University College Dublin (UCD) and University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) graduate with a postgraduate diploma and Master's degree in Health Promotion (MSc) (UU), Higher Diploma in Nursing/Midwifery education (UCD) and a PhD in Midwifery (UCLan).

Dr Healy joined the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Queen’s University Belfast as a Lecturer in Midwifery (Education) in 2016.