Professor Virginia Schmied

Biography


Virginia Schmied is a Professor in maternal and infant health in the School of Nursing and Midwifery at the University of Western Sydney. Virginia has over twenty five years experience in clinical practice, education, research and consultancy. She has worked in other tertiary institutions and as a senior manager in the public sector. Virginia has built a program of nursing and midwifery research using both qualitative and quantitative methodologies. Her scholarship and research in nursing and midwifery are informed to the humanities and social sciences and she holds postgraduate training in sociology and women's studies. She is also currently an investigator on two ARC linkage projects and an ARC discovery grant and has held previous ARC and NHMRC grants. Examples of current projects include:

  • Establishing breastfeeding: an analysis of the language and practices used by midwives and lactation consultants when interacting with new mothers (ARC Linkage).
  • The Baby Friendly Initiative: Exploring the implementation and dissemination of a global policy
  • A healthy start: A study to design and pilot a new model of postnatal care in south west Sydney.
  • 'Best for everyone': A study of the role and nature of universal health services for pregnant women, children and families in Australia.
  • Exploring professional collaboration: A key to sustainable universal health services for vulnerable families.

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Areas of Research/Teaching Expertise


Transition to parenthood; women's experiences of pregnancy; childbirth and parenting education; breastfeeding; supporting parents with infants in neonatal nurseries; models of midwifery care and postnatal care; the role of child and family health nurse; child protection and multidisciplinary health services.

Qualitative research methods: Grounded theory; discourse analysis; ethnography; health services education.

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Grants/Current Projects

2010

 A study investigating the feasibility of implementing a national approach to child and family health services.
Funding: ARC Linkage
Research team: A/Prof Virginia A Schmied, A/Prof Sue Kruske, Prof Caroline Homer, Prof Lesley M Barclay, Prof Ian Wilson, Prof Cathrine M Fowler, Dr Lynn A Kemp, A/Prof Allan M Fasher, Dr Sharon R Goldfeld, Dr Barbara A Vernon, Ms Cecelia Randles 
Partner Organisations: Australian Association of Maternal Child and Family Health Nurses, Australian College of Midwives, Australian General Practice Network, Australian Practice Nurses Association, Michael Fasher, Northern Territory Department of Health and Families, NSW Department of Community Services, Qld Department of Health, Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, Western Australian Department of Health

Consultation on the draft national framework for universal health and development services to children and families.
Funding: Tender from Victorian Government.
Research Team: V. Schmied, S. Kruske, C. Homer, L.M. Barclay, I. Wilson., C.M. Fowler, L.A. Kemp, A.M. Fasher, S.R. Goldfeld, B.A. Vernon, & C. Randles.

2009 

 The perinatal journey: the process and impact of psychosocial assessment
Funding: ARC Linkage project
Research Team: A/Prof V Schmied, Dr LA Kemp; Dr T Covic, Prof BE Barnett, Mr RJ Mills, Mrs DA Nemeth and Mrs MM Hughes
 
Increasing health literacy among Vietnamese women with gestational diabetes
Funding: Department of Health and Ageing, grant
Reseach Team: Dr S Jirojwong, Dr S Hillege, A/Prof V Schmied and Prof P
 
A study of contemporary family, social and cultural influences on first-time mothers
Funding: ARC Linkage project
Reserach Team: A/Prof VA Schmied, Dr JH Fenwick, Dr K Gribble, Mrs D McGrath, Dr A Sheehan and Prof FC Dykes

A study of service engagement and outcomes for infants and young mothers.
Funding: UWS partnership grant
Research Team: V. Schmied, C. Taylor, W. Schuiringa, M. Hudson, T. Azzopardi & H. Dahlen.

2008

Thinking outside the Square: Implementing and designing a new model of postnatal care at Macarthur Health Service
Funding: NSW Health Nursing and Midwifery Innovations grant
Research Team: Co-investigator with Lyn Passant, Linda Goulding and Anna Chapman

2007

 Establishing breastfeeding: an analysis of the language and practices used by midwives and lactation consultants when interacting with new mothers
Funding: ARC linkage
Research Team: Chief Investigator with Fenwick, J. (CI) and Sheehan A., Passant, L., and Saxton, A. (partner investigators).

'Best for everyone': A study of the role and nature of universal health services for pregnant women, children and families in Australia
Funding: Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth (ARACY)
Research Team: Collaboration convenor with a group of 25 network participants.

Improving the quality of postnatal care, breastfeeding support and health outcomes for new mothers, infants and families
Funding: IRIS grant
Research Team: Chief Investigator with Professor Debra Jackson and internal investigators Professor Fiona Dykes (UCLAN UK) and Professor Debra Bick (TVU London).

Exploring professional collaboration: A key to sustainable universal health services
Funding: Sustainability grant
Research Team: Chief investigator with Professor Debra Jackson and Professor Annemarie Hennessy.

A healthy start: A study to design and pilot a new model of postnatal care in south west Sydney
Funding: Partnership grant
Research Team: Chief Investigator with Professor Annemarie Hennessy and Dr Stephen McNally and partner investigator Lyn Passant and Anna Chapman.

The Baby Friendly Initiative: Exploring the implementation and dissemination of a global policy
Funding: Research Grant Scheme
Research Team: Chief investigator with Professor Fiona Dykes (UCLAN), Professor Debra Jackson and Dr Athena Sheehan.

2006

 Facilitating children's transition to school within families with complex support needs
Funding: ARC linkage grant
Research Team: Chief investigator with Dockett, S., Perry, B., Mason, J., & Hampshire, A.

2005

 Early childhood sustained home visiting: Outcomes at four years and the transition to school
Funding: ARC discovery grant
Research Team: Chief Investigator with Harris, E., McMahon, C., Matthey, S., Vimpani, G., & Anderson, T.M.

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Selected Publications


Book Chapters 

2011

Dahlen, H., Schmied, V., & Tracy, S. (2011). Bringing it all together: an application of the research process to the filed of practice. In S. Borbasi & D. Jackson (eds.). Navigating the Maze of Research, 3, 215-233. Sydney, NSW: Elsevier Australia. 

Selected Refereed Journal Articles  

2011 

Schmied, v., Gribble, K., Sheehan, A. Taylor, C., & Dykes, F. (2011). Ten steps or climbing a mountain: A study of Australian health professionals' perceptions of implementing the baby friendly health initiative to protect, promote and support breastfeeding. BMC Health Services Research, 11(1), 208. 

Dahlen, H., Jacson, M., Schmied, V., Tracy, S., & Priddis, H. (2011) Birth centres and the national maternity services review: Response to consumer demand or compromise? Women and Birth, 24(4), 165-172. doi: 10.1016/j.wombi.2010.001 

Smith, C., Dahlen, H., Schmied, V. (2011). Moxibustion for cephalic version: a feasibility randomised controlled trial. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 11(81).

Burns, E., Fenwick, J., Schmied, V., & Sheehan, A. (2011). Reflexivity in midwifery research: the insider/outsider debate, Midwifery.

Elmir, R., Schmied, V., Jackson, D., & Wilkes, L. (2011). Interviewing people about potentially sensitive topics, Nurse Researcher, 19(1), 12-16.

Hauck, Y. L., Fenwick, J., Dhaliwal, S. S., Butt, J., & Schmied, V. (2011). The association between women's perceptions of professional support and problems experienced on breastfeeding cessation: A Western Australian study. Journal of Human Lactation, 27(1), 49-57.

Schmied, V., Beake, S., Sheehan, A., McCourt, C., & Dykes, F. (2011). Women's perceptions and experiences of breastfeeding support: A metasynthesis. Birth, 38(1), 49-60.

Sheehan, A., & Schmied, V. (2011). The imperative to breastfeed: An Australian perspective. In P. Liamputtong (Ed.), Infant feeding practices: A cross-cultural perspective (pp. 55-76). New York: Springer.

Taylor, C., Gribble, K., Sheehan, A., Schmied, V., & Dykes, F. (2011). Staff perceptions and experiences of implementing the Baby Friendly Initiative in Neonatal Intensive Care Units in Australia. Journal of Obstetric, Gyneocologic & Neonatal Nursing, 40(1), 25-34.

2010

Schmied, V., Duff, M., Dahlen, H., Mills, A., & Kolt, G. (2010). 'Not waving but drowning': A study of the experiences and concerns of midwives and other health professionals caring for obese childbearing women, Midwifery, 1-7,

Burns, E., Schmied, V., Sheehan, A., & Fenwick, J. (2010). A meta-ethnographic synthesis of women’s experience of breastfeeding. Maternal and Child Nutrition, 6(3), 201-219.

Cioffi, J., Schmied, V., Dahlen, H., Mills, A., Thornton, C., Duff, M., Cummings, J., Kolt, G. (2010). Physical activity in pregnancy: Women's perceptions, practices, and influencing factors. Journal of Midwifery and Women's Health, 55(5), 455-461.

Elmir, R., Jackson, D., Beale, B., & Schmied, V. (2010). Against all odds: Australian women's experiences of recovery from breast cancer. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 19(17-18), 2531-2538

Elmir, R., Schmied, V., Wilkes, L., & Jackson, D. (2010). Women's perceptions and experiences of traumatic birth: A meta-ethnography. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 66(10), 2142-2153.

Fenwick, J., Butt, J., Dhaliwa, S., Hauck, Y., & Schmied, V. (2010). Western Australian women's perceptions of the style and quality of midwifery postnatal care in hospital and at home. Women and Birth, 23(1), 10-21.

Reid, J., Schmied, V., & Beale, B. (2010). 'I only give advice if I am asked': Examining the grandmother's potential to influence infant feeding decisions and parenting practices of new mothers. Women and Birth, 23(2), 74-80.

Schmied, V., & Walsh, P. (2010). Effective casework practice with adolescents. Perspectives of statutory child protection practitioners. Child and Family Social Work, 15(2), 165-175.

Sheehan, A., Schmied, V., & Barclay, L. (2010). Complex decisions: Theorizing women’s infant feeding decisions in the first six weeks after-birth. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 66(2), 371-380.

2009

Dockett, S., Perry, B., Kearney, E., Hampshire, A., Mason, J., & Schmied, V. (2009). Researching with families: Ethical issues and situations. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, 10(4), 353-365.

Kardamanidis, K., Kemp, L., & Schmied, V. (2009). Uncovering psychosocial needs: Perspectives of Australian child and family health nurses in a sustained home visiting trial. Contemporary Nurse, 33(1), 50-58.

Sheehan, A., Schmied, V., & Barclay, L. (2009). Women's experiences of infant feeding support in the first 6 weeks post-birth. Maternal and Child Nutrition, 5(2), 138-150.

Homer, C. S. E., Henry, K., Schmied, V., Kemp, L., Leap, N., & Briggs, C. (2009). 'It looks good on paper': Transitions of care between midwives and child and family health nurses in New South Wales, Women and Birth, 22(2), 64-72. 

Schmied, V., Cooke, M., Gutwein, R., Steinlein, E., & Homer, C. (2009). An evaluation of strategies to improve the quality and content of hospital-based postnatal care in metropolitan Australian hospital, Journal of Clinical Nursing, 18, 1850-1861. 

2008

Schmied, V. (2008) Breastfeeding in hospital: Mothers, midwives and the production line. Maternal and Child Nutrition, 4(2), 160.

Kemp, L., Harris, E., Mcmahon, C., Matthey, S., Vimpani, G., Anderson, T., & Schmied, V. (2008). Miller Early Childhood Sustained Home-visiting (MECSH) trial: design, method and sample description. BMC Public Health, 8(424),160. 

Schmied, V., Cooke, M., Gutwein, R., Steinlein, E. & Homer, C. (2008). Time to listen: Strategies to improve hospital-based postnatal care. Women and Birth, 21(3), 99-105.

Fenwick, J., Barclay, L., & Schmied, V. (2008). Craving closeness: A grounded theory analysis of women's experiences of mothering in the special care nursery. Women and Birth, 21(2), 71-85.

2007

Kruske, S., Schmied, V., & Cooke, M. (2007). The 'early-bird' gets the breast milk: Findings from an evaluation of combined professional and peer support groups to improve breastfeeding duration in the first eight weeks after birth. Maternal and Child Nutrition, 3(2), 108-119.

Cooke, M., Schmied, V., & Sheehan, A. (2007). An explanaton of the relationship between postnatal distress and maternal role attainment, breast feeding problems and breast feeding cessation in Australia. Midwifery, 23(1), 66-76.

2006

Kruske, S., Barclay, L., & Schmied, V. (2006). An exploration of the role of the child and family health nurse. Australian Journal of Primary Health, 12(2), 57-65.

2005

Brownhill, S., Wilhelm, K., Barclay, L., & Schmied, V. (2005). 'Big build': Hidden depression in men. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 39(10), 921-931.

2004

Kruske, S., Schmied, V., Sutton, I., & O'Hare, J. (2004). Mothers' experiences of facilitated peer support groups and individual child health nursing support: A comparative evaluation. Journal of Perinatal Education, 13(3), 31-38.

Williams, P., Barclay, L., & Schmied, V. (2004). Defining social support in context: A necessary step in improving research, intervention, and practice. Qualitative Health Research, 14(7), 942-960.

2003

Cooke, M., Sheehan, A., & Schmied, V. (2003). A description of the relationship between breastfeeding experiences, breastfeeding satisfaction and weaning in the first three months after birth. Journal of Human Lactation, 19(2), 145-156.

Fenwick, J., Barclay, L.,& Schmied, V. (2003). The role of nurses in the Special Care Nursery: What they consider their prime responsibility to be. Journal of Neonatal Nursing, 9(6), 191-196.

Sheehan, A., Schmied, V., & Cooke, M. (2003). Australian women's stories of their baby-feeding decisions in pregnancy. Midwifery, 19(4), 259-266.

Peer reviewed protocols

Schmied, V., Sheehan, A, McCourt, C., Dykes, F., Beake S., & Bick, D. (2008) Women's perceptions and experiences of breastfeeding support: a meta-synthesis of qualitative research. JBI Protocol.

Bick, D., Beake, D., Pellowe, C., Dykes, F., & Schmied, V. (2007).
Comparing structured versus non-structured breastfeeding programmes to support the initiation and duration of exclusive breastfeeding programes to support the initation and duration of exclusive breastfeeding in acute and primary healthcare settings. JBI Protocol.

Research Reports

Schmied, V. (2007). Effective casework practice with adolescents and their families: A study of DOCS' staff perceptions and practices. Department of Community Services.

Burke, S., & Schmied, V. (2006). Parental alcohol misuse: The impact on children and families. Department of Community Services.

Schmied, N., Brownhill, S., Walsh, P., & Harrison, H. (2006). Effective services and interventions for children and young people with high needs. Department of Community Services.

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