Congratulations to Lowri Hansford PhD Student

Lowri Hansford has been awarded the The Florence Nightingale Foundation Research Scholarship 2015-2016.

Lowri is a full-time three-year PhD student in the School of Healthcare Sciences, and has self-funded her studies with Midwifery Bank shifts; therefore, the Florence Nightingale Foundation Research Scholarship will cover the costs of her third year University fees of her PhD.

The title of the study is Exploring the postnatal experiences of mothers whose babies are admitted to NNU following caesarean section.  The main aim of this study is to explore the experiences of this population; to allow their voices to be heard.

The research question originated from her own clinical experiences as a midwife. It was also informed by the literature; where it is evident that the focus is often on the needs of the baby, rather than the postnatal mother on NNU. There are no studies to-date focused on this topic.

Findings will be disseminated in order to enhance knowledge in this under-researched area of maternity care; with the longer-term aim of individualising service provision for these vulnerable women.

Having completed a midwifery undergraduate degree, Lowri worked as a hospital midwife, post-qualification, for two years; prior to commencing a full time PhD in Nursing and Midwifery at School of Healthcare Sciences, Cardiff University in October 2013. She is currently undertaking the PhD on a full-time basis, whilst self-funding her studies and hopes to complete the PhD in 2016.