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Dr Sarah Church

Dr Sarah Church

churchs@lsbu.ac.uk

Nursing and Midwifery

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I joined LSBU in 2015 as a Reader in midwifery in a joint appointment with Barts Health NHS Trust having previously worked at the University of Northampton. I am currently Associate Dean Research & Enterprise and PGR Director, having been Head of Midwifery Division for over the last two years. I have a Masters in Research from the University of Manchester and hold a PhD in Midwifery from the Open University which focused on gender identity and explored the reproductive identities and experiences of midwives and mothers.

Whilst my research interests fall within the areas of women’s sexual and reproductive health, rights and maternity care; exploring issues from the perspective of student midwives is a particular focus which identifies educational and professional areas for exploration and development. A particular area of interest is the way in which an enterprise framework (EntreComp Framework 2016) based on entrepreneurial competencies, can support students to build confidence to articulate their skills and experience to effect leadership, and act as innovators and change agents in the maternity services.

I am internationally recognised, I was a member of the Research Standing Committee of the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM). My first co-edited book ‘New Thinking on Improving Maternity Care: International Perspectives’ was published by Pinter and Martin in 2016 and evolved from the first COST Action ISO907 "Childbirth Cultures, Concerns, and Consequences: Creating a dynamic EU framework for optimal maternity care.”

Involvement in a subsequent COST Action has led to work on the social cultural context of midwifery care in the Czech Republic, and lately, collaborative research with Atatürk University, Turkey, in relation to ethical challenges experienced by student midwives for example abortion, family planning and currently exploring issues of health literacy in relation to sexual and reproductive health.

I have authored over 30 peer reviewed papers, seven book chapters supported by editorial experience; in particular I am member of the International editorial Board of the Journal and Advanced Nursing and recently invited member of the Faculty of Health Sciences Journal at Yozgat Bozok University, Turkey.

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8868-2971

Postgraduate Research Supervision
Current
Ms Anne Marie LanganDoctoral Research ProjectPhD
Mrs Kade MondehDoctoral Research ProjectDProf
Mr Richard JohnsonExploring Care Navigators experience of roleDProf
Mr Adam HollidayInvestigations of visual changes associated with the menstrual cycle and pregnancyDProf
Mrs Jacinta IbeDoctoral Research ProjectPhD
Ms Clare BeanlandsOccupational therapy students’ experiences of professional reasoning during practice-based learning: A dialogical analysis.PhD
Miss Alexandra DroughtDoctoral Research ProjectDProf
Mrs Omotayo Adedayo AdenugaDoctoral Research ProjectDProf
FunderYear wonProjectRole
Central London Community Healthcare2024N&M_Interview analysis and evalution_CLCHCo-Investigator

Editorial/Advisory Board Member
2019
YOBU Faculty of Health Sciences Journal

Bozok University

Yogzat

Turkey

Editorial/Advisory Board Member
2020

Filter publications

Rhythmic variations of labour
Church, S. Rhythmic variations of labour. in: Macdonald, S and Johnson, G (ed.) Mayes' Midwifery pp. 1264-1273

Student midwives' perspectives of women's sexual and reproductive health literacy in Turkey.
Church, S., Ejder Apay, S., Gurol, A., Slaveva, Y. and Mills, R. (2023). Student midwives' perspectives of women's sexual and reproductive health literacy in Turkey. Sexual & reproductive healthcare : official journal of the Swedish Association of Midwives. 37, p. 100864. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.srhc.2023.100864

Consideration of methodological issues when using photo-elicitation in qualitative research.
Church, S. and Quilter, J. (2021). Consideration of methodological issues when using photo-elicitation in qualitative research. Nurse Researcher. https://doi.org/10.7748/nr.2021.e1729

Midwifery students’ reactions to ethical dilemmas encountered in outpatient clinics
Apay SE, Gürol A, Gür EY and Church, S. (2020). Midwifery students’ reactions to ethical dilemmas encountered in outpatient clinics . Nursing Ethics. 27 (7). https://doi.org/10.1177/0969733020922875

Multidimensional eHealth Literacy for Infertility
Sykes, S., Wills, J., Frings, D., Church, S. and Wood, K. (2020). Multidimensional eHealth Literacy for Infertility. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 17 (3), pp. 966-966. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17030966

Women and waterbirth: A systematic meta-synthesis of qualitative studies
Clews, C., Church, S. and Ekberg, M. (2020). Women and waterbirth: A systematic meta-synthesis of qualitative studies. Women and Birth. 33 (6), pp. 566-573. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wombi.2019.11.007

Midwives' evaluation of their role in crowdsourcing activities to improve the maternity experience: part 2
Frewin, S. and Church, S. (2019). Midwives' evaluation of their role in crowdsourcing activities to improve the maternity experience: part 2. British Journal of Midwifery. 27 (07). https://doi.org/10.12968/bjom.2019.27.7.420

Midwives’ evaluation of their role in crowdsourcing activities to improve the maternity experience: Part 1
Frewin, S. and Church, S. (2019). Midwives’ evaluation of their role in crowdsourcing activities to improve the maternity experience: Part 1. British Journal of Midwifery. 27 (6), pp. 368-372. https://doi.org/10.12968/bjom.2019.27.6.368

Developing a reproductive identity: the experiences of pregnant midwives
Church, S (2019). Developing a reproductive identity: the experiences of pregnant midwives. MIDIRS Midwifery Digest. 29 (1), pp. 40-45.

Review: Challenges of having a child with thalassaemia major: a phenomenological study
Church, S (2017). Review: Challenges of having a child with thalassaemia major: a phenomenological study. Journal of Research in Nursing. 23 (1), pp. 21-22. https://doi.org/10.1177/1744987117724693

Rhythmic variations of labour
Church, S and Barnfather, T (2017). Rhythmic variations of labour. in: Macdonald, S and Johnson, G (ed.) Mayes' Midwifery Elsevier.

Maternity care international perspectives: setting the scene
van teijlingen, E, Frith, L and Church, SLR (2017). Maternity care international perspectives: setting the scene. in: Church, SLR, Frith, L, Balaam, M-C, Berg, M, Smith, V, van der Walt, C, Downe, S and van der teijlingen, E (ed.) New Thinking on Improving Maternity Care International Perspectives Pinter and Martin.

Migrant midwives: contributing to a different culture
Church, SLR and Gouni, O (2017). Migrant midwives: contributing to a different culture. in: Church, SLR (ed.) New Thinking on Improving Maternity Care International Perspectives London UK Pinter and Martin.