First Nations women and families: Exploring how midwives understand and integrate Cultural Safety into their care

Background: A prior scoping review of the literature revealed that some midwives continue to grapple with the concept of Cultural Safety and how to apply this when providing midwifery care to First Nations women (Capper, Williamson, Chee, 2022). It was identified that midwives often perceived that by providing care that is womencentred, they are meeting the needs of all women, regardless of their cultural identity. Recommendations from the scoping review suggested that further research be undertaken in this area to ascertain whether midwives recognise the distinct characteristics of Culturally Safe midwifery care for First Nations women. In particular, it was deemed important to understand midwives’ knowledge of the oppression and injustice this group continues to face (Williamson, 2008), how this influences their needs for Cultural Safety, and thus differentiates their care from that provided to women from other cultural backgrounds. Aim: To explore registered midwives' educational knowledge and practices related to Cultural Safety when caring for First Nations women and their families. Methods: A qualitative descriptive study is currently being undertaken. Data is being collected using semi-structured interviews. The anonymised interview transcripts will be thematically analysed using Braun and Clarkes’ (2006) six step process. Findings: The research findings will be presented in a thematic format to give greater insight into how midwives understand and incorporate the concept of cultural safety into their care. Conclusions: The findings of the study will provide an understanding of the strengths and deficits of the existing educational provision related to the care of First Nations women and their families as perceived by practising midwives.