William Harvey Building
0845 196 4699
trudy.stevens@anglia.ac.uk

Qualifications & Membership

• RN (St Bartholomew's Hospital, London)
• RM (Cambridge)
• MA (Cantab) Arch/Anth Tripos (Social Anthropology), University of Cambridge
• MSc Social Research Methods (London Guildhall University)
• PhD Midwifery. (Thames Valley University, London)
• PG Dip Learning & Teaching (Anglia Ruskin University)

• Member of the Royal College of Midwives
• Member of the Doctoral Midwifery Research Society

Outline of career

A practising midwife for the last 35 years, my initial post-registration 'consolidation' was gained working with VSO (Voluntary Service Overseas) in Nepal for three years. Experiences there convinced me of the centrality of midwifery within Primary Health Care (a lesson yet to be appreciated within the UK maternity service). So, following 2 years working on Ascension Island and a further 2 years as a Midwifery Sister in the UK, I returned to Asia and spend four years working with Traditional Birth Attendants in The Maldives. From them I learnt the meaning of Mid Wífery. I also learnt to appreciate birth in its social context. For greater understanding of the implications of this, I returned to the UK to read anthropology.

A year at MIDIRS (Midwives Information and Resource Service) editing the Digest (peer-reviewed journal) whilst covering the Head of Midwifery's sabbatical leave, firmly grounded me back in the world of midwifery, a world which in the UK promised exciting changes with the publication of Changing Childbirth. Joining the team that evaluated One-to-One Midwifery Practice, the model implemented by Lesley Page that embodied the principles of Changing Childbirth, I focused on the ethnographic study that explored the implications of the change for the professionals.

Since 2004 I have been working as a Lecturer at Anglia Ruskin University, assisting with the BSc Midwifery training, developing the MSc in Advanced Midwifery Practice and supporting students in undertaking research at both PhD and MSc level.

Research interest

My particular research interest centres are on the organisation of midwifery practice and the implications this holds for the retention of midwives and promotion of normal childbirth. My PhD thesis 'Midwife to Mid Wíf: a study of caseload midwifery' has proved central to this work
Prior to concentrating on the ethnography, I managed the implementation of the multidimensional evaluation of caseload midwifery practice. I have also been involved in the organisation of clinical samples data collection for stem cell research (placenta and cord blood collection). I have experience of background research and baseline studies, e.g. community surveys prior to developing programmes for Training Traditional Birth Attendants, and Community-based Rehabilitation of Disabled Children (overseas), and the implementation of community-based ante-natal service (UK).

Selected Publications

Stevens, T. 2011. Power and professionalism in midwifery practice: impediment or precursor to normal birth? IN S. Donna, ed. Promoting normal birth: research, reflections and guidelines. Fresh Heart Publishing, Chester.

Stevens, T. 2011. Reflections on general principles for promoting normal birth in 'developing countries'. IN S. Donna, ed. Promoting normal birth: research, reflections and guidelines. Fresh Heart Publishing, Chester,

Stevens, T. 2009. Time and caseload midwifery. IN C. McCourt, ed. Childbirth, midwifery and concepts of time. Berghahn Books, Oxford.

McCourt, C. & Stevens, T. 2009. Relationship and reciprocity in caseload midwifery. IN B. Hunter, & R. Deery, eds. Emotions in Midwifery and Reproduction. Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke.

McCourt, C., Stevens, T., Sandall, J. & Brodie, P. 2006. Working with women; developing continuity of care in practice. IN L. Page, & R. McCandlish, eds. The new midwifery: science and sensitivity in practice 2nd ed. Churchill Livingstone, Edinburgh.

McCourt, C. & Stevens, T. 2005. Continuity of carer: what does it mean and does it matter to midwives and birthing women? Canadian Journal of Midwifery Research & Practice Vol.4 No.3

Conference presentations:

2011:
Chair for Diabetes in Pregnancy. Royal College of Midwives, Chelmsford

2010:
Chair for HIV; a midwife's dilemma. Royal College of Midwives, Chelmsford

2009:
Reciprocity: the essence of a new professional paradigm within midwifery. Women & Birth: Politics, Power and Practice. University of Worcester

Power and Professionalism in Midwifery Practice: impediment or precursor of Normal Birth? 4th International Conference on Research into Normal Birth. University of Central Lancashire, Grange-over-Sands.

2006:
Caring Robots or Responsive Carers? Exploring the relationship between the organisation of midwifery practice and normal birth. 3rd International Conference on Research into Normal Birth. University of Central Lancashire, Grange-over-Sands.

From Institution to Inter-dependence: exploring the organisational implications of caseload midwifery. RCN International Research Conference, York.


For a complete list of publications please contact Trudy.