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Azalea Sawfly (Euura lipovskyi) larvae found feeding on foliage and flowers of cultivated Flame Azalea (Rhododendron calendulaceum) in Ottawa, Ontario, in late May 2021 are the first records of this sawfly in Canada. The native range of Azalea Sawfly includes the eastern United States, but the species has extended its distribution recently to the Pacific northwest of North America and Europe. Recorded foodplants include Rhododendron calendulaceum, Rhododendron luteum, Rhododendron obtrusum, Rhododendron occidentale, Rhododendron molle, Rhododendron viscosum, and possibly Early Azalea (Rhododendron prinophyllum), all in Rhododendron section Pentanthera. The new combinations Euura lipovskyi and Euura azaleae are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The midwifery workforce in Australia is impacted by shortages and attrition. Workplace culture affects midwives' intentions to stay in the profession and their capacity to provide woman-centred care for mothers and infants. Staff attrition in maternity services often relates to midwives' workplace experiences and negative perceptions of organisational culture. Broad-based data are essential to fully understand midwifery workplace culture. This study aimed to examine Australian midwives' perceptions of workplace culture, using a specifically developed instrument. A national online survey of Australian midwives, within a wider project on maternity workplace culture. Quantitative data were analysed descriptively. Qualitative data were analysed using content analysis. Overall, 322 eligible midwives rated workplace culture and 150 provided further qualitative responses. Themes included 'the ability to be a midwife', 'support at work' and 'bullying'. Less than a third of midwives thought their workplace had a positive culture. Many respondents felt disengaged and unsupported by managers and described an inability to use all their midwifery knowledge in medically-dominated environments. Many attributed poor workplace culture to limited resources, poor communication, time pressure and a lack of leadership in their workplaces. Inadequate staffing levels and poor management left many midwives feeling disempowered and despondent about their workplace. Others, however, described highly positive workplace cultures and inspiring role models. The survey captured a snapshot of Australian midwifery workplace culture. Findings on leadership, workloads, management support and other aspects of workplace culture can inform future workforce planning and policies. A larger study of the midwifery workplace culture is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disjunctions are reported for Needle-leaved Sedge (Carex duriuscula) and Thread-leaved Sedge (Carex filifolia) into the Arctic region of Northwest Territories at the Husky Lakes south of Tuktoyaktuk. These are significant additions to the Canadian Arctic flora and may be part of a group of relicts of the Arctic vegetation of the Pleistocene, specifically the Tundrasteppe. The occurrence of relict vegetation east of the Mackenzie Delta is east of its frequently cited eastern limit in North America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We provide information on two additions to the fauna of Northwest Territories, Canada: Two-striped Grasshopper (Melanoplus bivittatus) and Huron Short-winged Locust (Melanoplus huroni). We suspect that both are long established but were overlooked in the past as a consequence of general rarity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Thailand, maternal complications and poor neonatal outcomes are common in pregnant adolescents. There are attempts to improve outcomes for this group through specialised antenatal clinics, however, neither the way in which these clinics are provided nor the attitudes of healthcare professionals to pregnant adolescents are known. The aim of this study was to understand the experiences of healthcare professionals in caring for pregnant adolescent women in Thailand. A qualitative descriptive design was used. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 healthcare professionals involved in caring for pregnant adolescents across three public hospitals in Bangkok, Thailand. All interviews were analysed thematically. The core concept ' recognising the challenges of providing care for young Thai pregnant women ' explained the provision of care. This concept contained three main themes: 1) having an awareness of the political and societal contexts and environment of care ; 2) being aware of attitudes and the need to develop psychosocial skills in caring for adolescent women ; and 3) having different approaches to caring for pregnant adolescents. A lack of continuity of care was a significant barrier in terms of structure and process. Effective communication was important to provide quality care. Healthcare professionals recognised that there were barriers to providing effective care for adolescent women. These findings may inform healthcare professionals and policymakers in Thailand in relation to the systems of care required and addressing the needs of pregnant adolescents. This would enable Thailand to meet the goal in providing a positive pregnancy experience for all women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Implementation of woman-centred care in evidence-based maternity practice requires clinicians to be skilled in shared decision-making, yet there is limited training or research into such interventions. Shared decision-making enables women to make informed decisions in partnership with clinicians where there are varied clinical options in relation to indications for and timing of planned birth. We aimed to develop a shared decision-making training intervention and evaluate its feasibility and acceptability to midwives and obstetricians. The intervention was co-designed by midwifery and medical clinician-researchers, and a consumer representative. Online training and demonstration videos were distributed to midwives and obstetricians in three Sydney hospitals, followed by two online workshops in 2021 and 2022 where participants practised shared decision-making in roleplaying scenarios tailored to timing of birth. Training was evaluated using post-workshop and post-training surveys and semi-structured qualitative interviews. The training workshop format, duration and content were well received. Barriers to the uptake of shared decision-making were time, paternalistic practices and fear of repercussions of centring women in the decision-making process. The intervention enabled midwifery and medical colleagues to learn communication repertoires from each other in woman-centred discussions around timing of birth. Roleplay scenarios enabled participants to observe and provide feedback on their colleagues' shared decision-making practices, while providing a space for collective reflection on ways to promote, and mitigate barriers to, its implementation in practice. Shared decision-making training supports maternity clinicians in developing skills that implement woman-centred care in the timing of planned birth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background The ability of midwives to provide empathic care that is culturally appropriate is critical for women to feel accepted by the midwives who support them. Australia is a culturally diverse society, yet there is evidence of poorer maternity outcomes for some women and infants, related to their cultural background. Objectives This study's objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of an education program for student midwives. The program was intended to increase the cultural empathy of future midwives, to help ensure greater cultural safety and optimal maternity outcomes across all sections of Australian society. Design This quantitative study compared pre- and post-intervention measures of students' empathy. Setting The health faculty of a large urban university in Australia. Participants Fifty-five students from all three years of an undergraduate midwifery program participated. Methods The study examined students' scores on the Jefferson Scale of Empathy for health profession students, measured before and immediately after the education program, and again after four weeks. Results The midwifery students had a high mean baseline score on the empathy scale. Scores increased significantly after the education program. Students with lower pre-test scores recorded significantly greater increases in their empathy levels than those who were more empathic initially. Empathy scores declined one month after the program, but remained higher than baseline levels. Conclusions Several studies have explored empathy levels amongst current and future health professionals. However, few studies of health professional students have evaluated the impact of specific education interventions addressing cultural empathy. This study found that midwifery students tended to have higher empathy scores than students in other health disciplines. The education workshop further increased participants' scores. Highlights • This study acknowledges cultural diversity amongst childbearing women through enhancing cultural empathy in midwifery students. • Participants' empathy scores increased following education about culturally competent midwifery care. • Students who were less empathic initially experienced greater increases in empathy scores after the program. • Despite some decline over time, empathy levels remained higher than before the education program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We provide an updated checklist of Orthoptera and their allies for each Maritime province of Canada with details for 21 new species records. Drumming Katydid (Meconema thalassinum), recorded from Nova Scotia (NS) and Prince Edward Island (PEI), and Sprinkled Grasshopper (Chloealtis conspersa), recorded from New Brunswick (NB) are reported for the first time from the Maritimes as a whole. We report range extensions in the Maritime region for Australian Cockroach (Periplaneta australasiae; NB), Treetop Bush Katydid (Scudderia fasciata; NS), Short-legged Camel Cricket (Ceuthophilus brevipes; PEI), Spotted Camel Cricket (Ceuthophilus maculatus; PEI), Roesel's Shield-backed Katydid (Roeseliana roesellii; NS), and Black-horned Tree Cricket (Oecanthus nigricornis; PEI). Short-winged Mole Cricket (Neoscapteriscus abbreviatus; NB) and European Mole Cricket (Gryllotalpa gryllotalpa; NS) are reported as adventives (non-native species that are believed to be not yet established), new to Canada from the Maritimes. Other new records for species not known to be established are Lined Earwig (Doru taeniatum; NS), Australian Cockroach (Periplaneta australasiae; PEI), American Cockroach (Periplaneta americana; NB), Brown Cockroach (Periplaneta brunnea; PEI), Smooth Cockroach (Nyctibora laevigata; NB), West Indian Leaf Cockroach (Blaberus discoidalis; NB), an unidentified Parcoblatta species (NB), Brown-banded Cockroach (Supella longipalpa; PEI), Praying Mantis (Mantis religiosa; NB), and American Bird Grasshopper (Schistocerca americana; NS). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background High-level evidence demonstrates midwifery continuity of care is beneficial for women and babies. Women have limited access to midwifery continuity of care models in Australia. One of the factors limiting women's access is recruiting enough midwives to work in continuity. Our research found that newly graduated midwives felt well prepared to work in midwifery led continuity of care models, were well supported to work in the models and the main driver to employing them was a need to staff the models. However limited opportunities exist for new graduate midwives to work in midwifery continuity of care. Aim The aim of this paper therefore is to describe a conceptual model developed to enable new graduate midwives to work in midwifery continuity of care models. Method The findings from a qualitative study were synthesised with the existing literature to develop a conceptual model that enables new graduate midwives to work in midwifery continuity of care. Findings: The model contains the essential elements to enable new graduate midwives to work in midwifery continuity of care models. Discussion: Each of the essential elements discussed are to assist midwifery managers, educators and new graduates to facilitate the organisational changes required to accommodate new graduates. Conclusion The conceptual model is useful to show maternity services how to enable new graduate midwives to work in midwifery continuity of care models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background In some countries, up to 30% of women are exposed to intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis for prevention of early-onset group B Streptococcal infection. Intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis aims to reduce the risk of neonatal morbidity and mortality from this infection. The intervention may adversely affect non-pathogenic bacteria which are passed to the newborn during birth and are considered important in optimising health. Since many women are offered intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis, effectiveness and implications of this intervention need to be established. This review considers clinical trials and observational studies analysing the effectiveness of intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis. Methods An integrative literature review was conducted. One systematic review, three clinical trials and five observational studies were identified for appraisal. Findings Randomised controlled trials found intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis effective but all retrieved randomised clinical trials had significant methodological flaws. High quality observational studies reported high rates of effectiveness but revealed less than optimal adherence to screening and administration of the prophylaxis. Scant consideration was given to short term risks, and long-term consequences were not addressed. Discussion Studies found intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis to be effective. However, evidence was not robust and screening and prophylaxis have limitations. Emerging evidence links intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis to adverse short and longer-term neonatal outcomes. Conclusion Our review found high quality evidence of the effectiveness of intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis was limited. Lack of consideration of potential risks of the intervention was evident. Women should be enabled to make informed decisions about GBS management. More research needs to be done in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The introduced Wormslug (Boettgerilla pallens Simroth, 1912) is reported from Quebec, Canada, for the first time, from two closely situated localities in Gatineau Park. It was previously reported from the Vancouver area of British Columbia and, very recently, from Newfoundland. Within the Americas, the species has been reported from northern California, Mexico, and Colombia, and, because it is easily overlooked, likely occurs elsewhere in North America, especially in the eastern United States. In Quebec, it was found in a natural Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum Marshall) woodland and an ornamental garden. Wormslug likely reached both sites with shrub plantings from commercial nurseries, probably quite recently, because the invasive spread of the species, worldwide, has occurred mostly during the last few decades. Although the woodland where it occurred is dominated by native plants, the gastropod fauna there is mainly introduced. Identification, characteristics, and ecology of Wormslug are discussed. The potential for impact on native soil and soil surface organisms, including native terrestrial slugs and snails, is noted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective first year midwifery students learn early in semester about situations in midwifery where a high level of emotion is expressed, such as taking a sexual history, being faced with the body image changes of pregnancy and working with women in the extreme pain of labour. Commencing students usually have not had exposure to the realities of studying and working in midwifery, and often have an idealised view of midwifery that may lead to attrition from the course. We aimed to equip students with personal and professional tools to discuss sensitive issues in midwifery and promote self-care through the development of two workshops. The first workshop focussed on sensitive issues in midwifery and the second on self-care strategies. Design quantitative and qualitative data were collected pre and post workshops using a survey. Setting the workshops were developed at one university in New South Wales, Australia. Participants: Beginning first year midwifery students Measurements feeling more comfortable, confident and knowledgeable was measured using a paired t-test from the responses on a pre and post workshop survey. Content analysis was performed on the qualitative survey responses. Findings there were significant increases in the students feeling more comfortable to discuss sensitive issues in midwifery following the first workshop. They found meeting new people, respecting opinions, normalizing confronting topics to be valuable and useful. The second workshop found significant differences in being more confident and knowledgeable to access and try new self-care strategies in both their personal and professional life. Students discussed learning to be more mindful in order to prepare for stressful situations. They became aware of their feeling and thoughts when under stress and said they would practice techniques including meditation. Conclusion the workshops assisted the students to develop peer support, self-care strategies and coping mechanisms when faced with the intimate and sometimes confronting nature of midwifery practice. Through embedding these first year workshops early in the degree we hope to address attrition rates and facilitate the students' to become the compassionate, caring, woman-centred midwives that they envisioned. Implications for practice the workshops have the potential for replication in other universities to support and nurture beginning midwifery students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]