Sarah Stables

1. Using the virtual
classroom to increase
networking and
collaboration between
students and
professionals.
Sarah Stables
Senior Lecturer in Midwifery
LTA conference 2016

2. WHAT IS WARDBOOK?
• Set up in 2013 whilst undertaking the role
of Lead Midwife in the Barnsley Maternity
Unit.
• Improve poor communication for staff
working 12 hour shifts.
• Closed secret group with invite only
option.
• Currently has 163 members of staff and
SHU student. (Includes Head of Midwifery,
Supervisor of Midwives, Lead Midwives
and specialist Midwives)
• All senior Midwives are involved with
recruitment.

3. Transition from Healthcare to
Education!
• Keeping ownership of
Wardbook and
evolving the project.

4. The Millennium
Student.
What are they?
What do they
want?
• No longer
require physical
mobility
• Digital nomads
• Access and experience
rather than ownership
• The explosion of
technology has blurred
the boundaries between
day and night & week days
and weekend

5. THE BIG
CONCEPT
• Suits millennial learning styles and
needs.
• Improve the students
employability.
• Student led teaching with the added
bonus of networking.
• Free learning for professionals to
maintain continued development.

6. ➜Generic e-mail to all students on
placement in the Barnsley Maternity
Unit requesting involvement &
rationale for being part of project.
LECTURER FACILITATION
➜Discussion and reassurance when
student is choosing the topic for web-
chat.
➜Promote the event in plenty of time
RECRUITING STUDENTS

7. DISCUSSION ONE: WEIGHT
GAIN IN PREGNANCY
• Led by a senior student on placement in the
trust.
• 166 comments in the 1 hour web-chat.
• Conversation viewed by 151 members of the
group.
• People involved in the discussion – 24
professionals (including 3 students).
• Senior staff involved in the web-chat included
the Head of Midwifery, 2 specialist midwives
and 2 ward managers.
• After this web-chat the student was invited
into the trust to attend the senior midwives
meeting and be involved in guideline
development.
Place your screenshot here

8. DISCUSSION TWO: SEEDING
• Led by a senior student over the 1 hour.
• 20 people involved in the web-chat (6 of
which were students).
• Senior staff included 3 specialist
midwives and 2 lead midwives. The
discussion was seen by 145 members of
staff.
• Professional staff have begun to print the
conversation and use this within their
portfolios.

9. MOVING WARDBOOK FORWARD
our office
• Involve less senior students.
• Copy this model into other placement areas of the
midwifery team.
• Involve other universities around the region.
• Look further afield, make links with global midwifery
communities.

10. Thanks!
Any questions?
You can find me at:
@sarah_stables
s.stables@shu.ac.uk