Christine Furber

Overview

Nursing & Midwifery Council Lead Midwife for Education.

Programme Director for the BMidwif (Hons)  degree.

Vice Chair of the Greater Manchester Midwifery Education Group

Christine''s teaching contributes to the BMidwif (Hons) degree, BSc (Hons) Nursing Practice in the UK and Singapore, MClinRes degree and PhD programme.

Christine''s teaching expertise lies in midwifery, public health, baby feeding and research methods. 

Christine''s supervision experience at PhD level includes maternal mortality in developing countries and public health topics.

Christine is:

• Examiner for MPhil and PhD students.
• University Link Lecturer to  North Manchester Maternity Services..
• Guest Editor Midwifery journal for edition on obesity
• External subject examiner for midwifery at the University of Bradford 2016 - 2020

Biography

Christine qualified as a Registered Nurse and Registered Midwife at the start of her career.

Christine has made a significant contribution to the development of midwifery education for undergraduate, postgraduate and research students in her career. This experience has included leading the development of 3 year and 18 month programmes for student midwives qualifying as midwives, courses for midwives undergoing updating and further study, and courses for midwives studying at Master''s level.

Christine has always had an interest in health education / promotion / public health. Her last clinical role was to develop parent education services at Stepping Hill Hospital and this included a preconception care clinic. Later, when employed as a midwife teacher, Christine was an active member of several working parties in Stockport and Manchester developing public health strategies.

Christine was Programme Director for Pre-Registration Midwifery Education in the School from 1997 - 2002. During this time, Christine led the successful validation of the first pre-registration Bachelor of Midwifery Hons degree at The University of Manchester. Christine has recently developed online learning within the midwifery degree programme. Christine  has recently led on the  development of a new BMidwif (Hons) undergraduate degree  that commenced in 2013.

Christine  is the midwifery lead in the development of a Master''s degree for midwives and is involved in supporting midwives studying for the Preparation of Supervisors of Midwives award at Master''s level.

Christine currently supervises 2 PhD students and has successfully supervised 4 midwives to completion of their PhD. Christine also supervises midwives studying on the MClinRes degree.

Christine has completed several research studies involving innovations in midwifery education, midwives experiences of supporting mothers during baby feeding, midwives experiences in practice, the psychosocial experiences of childbearing, and baby skin care.  

Christine frequently lectures and publishes her work related to education and research.

Recent conference presentations include:

International Confederation of Midwives Congress, Toronto, Canada June 2017

• Communication about behaviour change with obese pregnant women

Royal College of Midwives Annual Midwifery Education conference Glasgow March 2017

• Building capacity in midwifery education workshop

European Midwives Association London December 2016

• Building capacity in midwifery education workshop

Qualitative research workshops for Pakisatn Institute of Living and Learning in Dubai 2016 and 2017

Annual Swedish Midwives conference Gothenburg May 2012

• Presentation: Baby Skin Care Programme

Royal College of Midwives annual conference November 2011

• Presentation: Results of Baby Wipes study

The International Confederation of Midwives Congress Durban South Africa June 2011

• Presentation: Results of Baby Wipes study.
• Presentation: Eating disorders in pregnancy.

The Royal Society of Medicine  London January 2010

• Presentation: The power of language. Research findings and implications for practice.

CMACE National Conference on Obesity Aintree January 2010

• Presentation: The experiences of pregnant women who are obese: A qualitative study

British Maternal and Fetal Medicine Society Liverpool June 2009

• Presentation: The medicalising of obesity during pregnancy: Forgetting the woman inside

Royal College of Midwives Student Conference Liverpool October 2008

• Presentation: Using evidence to support and consolidate practice.

The First National Symposium on Midwifery for Turkish Midwives Ege University Izmir Turkey May 2007

• Presentation: Midwifery Education in the UK