Abstract / Summary
Abstract Background: Birth-related trauma is a common occurrence in maternity settings, negatively impacting women and healthcare providers. However, little clinician education exists to prevent or mitigate negative outcomes. Objectives: To investigate healthcare providers’ knowledge and experience of BRT and education needs, to inform the development of a BRT education module. Design: A cross-sectional, mixed-methods design was adopted. Methods: Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis were used to analyse closed and open-ended questions in the online survey completed by 138 healthcare staff working in a maternity unit. Results: Most staff (88.4%) had witnessed BRT at least once in their professional role, though less than a third (26.8%) reported having engaged in any form of professional training. In-person and online modules were the preferred method of training, and participants requested a range of training topics, including the provision of trauma-informed care, working with women declining care, general BRT knowledge, shared-decision making, screening, consent, and clinician well-being. Conclusion: Findings underscore the need for accessible BRT education to be embedded within professional development frameworks, and to position trauma-informed as a core competency. The findings also highlight the importance of providing support for staff experiencing vicarious trauma, recognising its prevalence and impact on clinician wellbeing and quality of care.