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Midwives' use of the Internet: an Australian study
Lisa McKenna1, Gayle McLelland
1School of Nursing and Midwifery, Monash University, Peninsula campus, McMahons Road, Frankston, Victoria 3199, Australia. lisa.mckenna@med.monash.edu.au
Midwifery
|September 29, 2009
Summary
Most midwives use the Internet, but many struggle with navigation and finding information. This highlights a need for enhanced digital literacy training to support evidence-based midwifery practice.
Area of Science:
- Digital Health
- Health Informatics
- Midwifery Practice
Background:
- Midwives' utilization of online resources is crucial for evidence-based practice.
- Previous research explored midwives' attitudes towards online learning.
- This study focuses specifically on Internet usage patterns and competence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the extent of Internet use among midwives in Victoria, Australia.
- To identify challenges midwives face when using the Internet for professional purposes.
- To understand the implications of Internet competence for accessing clinical evidence.
Main Methods:
- A descriptive, quantitative research design was employed.
- Anonymous questionnaires were distributed to 300 midwives in Victoria, Australia.
- A response rate of 56% (169 midwives) was achieved.
Main Results:
- Approximately 92.3% of surveyed midwives reported using the Internet.
- Significant percentages found Internet navigation (31.5%) and information retrieval (34.7%) difficult.
- A notable proportion (27.2%) lacked confidence in their Internet skills.
Conclusions:
- Many midwives exhibit insufficient Internet competence, hindering access to evidence for practice.
- There is a clear need for ongoing education and training to improve midwives' digital literacy.
- Enhanced skills are essential for sourcing and critically evaluating online health information.
