gms | German Medical Science

About this meeting

• Editorial
• Words of welcome
• Keynote
• Review process

Editorial

Dear Conference Participants,

This is the 5th International Conference to be held by the German Society of Midwifery Science (DGHWi) in the 12 years since its foundation. This year, for the first time, the conference will be spread over two days. We will also, once again, be providing simultaneous interpretation of the proceedings in English and German to enable participants to listen unimpeded and to facilitate discussions across linguistic boundaries. 

 The theme of this year’s conference is “Models of Care in Midwifery Science”. Our keynote speaker is Dr. Andrew Symon who is a midwife as well as a Senior Lecturer at the University of Dundee in Scotland. Dr. Symon will speak about “The Quality Maternal and Newborn Care (QMNC) Framework’s influence in policy, practice, education, and research”. Later on, Ólöf Ásta Ólafsdóttir will tell us about a model of midwifery care used in Sweden and Iceland, and Michaela Michel-Schuldt will give us an account of the transition to midwife-led maternity care in Bangladesh.
The development of new models of healthcare provision by "advanced practice" midwives is the topic of Professor Eva Cignacco’s presentation. Professor Cignacco then moves on to ask the question: “Competence acquisition in the Master's programme: What is meaningful, additionally?”, which, after a short introduction to various Master’s programs, she first puts to the panel and then opens it up for a plenary discussion.

The organization of the entire conference was in the capable hands of Professor Rainhild Schäfer and research associates Ruth Berghoff, Annette Berthold, Annika Bode, Fabiola Jessen, Kristina Luksch, Mirjam Peters, and Andrea Villmar. Student assistants Anna Veronika Häckel, Lisa Klamer, Tessa Wendland, and Salma Zal Mohammad also provided valuable assistance in conducting the conference. The Board would like to extend its heartfelt thanks to the organizing team at the University of Applied Sciences (hsg) for their sterling work. This considerably eased the burden on the DGHWi Board, particularly in a year when a new midwifery law has just been passed in Germany.
We would also like to thank the University of Applied Sciences (hsg) and all the members of staff who helped, in so many different ways, to make this conference possible for the DGHWi, and who provided us with technical equipment and premises. We are also extremely grateful to the Midwifery Community Support Association (HGH) for its financial support.

In this supplement you will find official words of welcome from Professor Kerstin Bilda, Vice President of Research at the University of Applied Sciences, Bochum, Christiane Borchard, Chair of the Midwifery Community Support Association (Hebammengemeinschaftshilfe, HGH), Ulrike Geppert-Orthofer, President of the German Midwifery Association (Deutscher Hebammenverband, DHV), Professor Anton Schar, President of the German Society of Gynecology and Obstetrics (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gynäkologie und Geburtshilfe, DGGG), Professor Rolf Schlösser, President of the German Society of Perinatal Medicine (Deutsche Gesellschaft für perinatale Medizin, DGPM), Professor Wolfgang Lütje, President of the German Society of Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynecology (Deutsche Gesellschaft für psychosomatische Frauenheilkunde und Geburtshilfe, DGPFG), Ilona Strache, Chair of the Federation of Independent Midwives in Germany (Bund freiberuflicher Hebammen in Deutschland, BfHD), and Kirsten Asmushen, Member of the Board of the Society for Quality in Out-of-Hospital Midwifery (Gesellschaft für Qualität in der außerklinischen Geburtshilfe, QUAG). Moreover, Dr. Gertrud M. Ayerle and myself welcome the participants on behalf of the Editorial Board.

The main part of the supplement comprises all abstracts that were submitted, accepted, and formally confirmed for the keynote speech as well as all other presentations, workshops, and posters.

At the back of the supplement, for the purposes of transparency, the review process is outlined and biographical details of all the authors provided.

Enjoy reading!

Elke Mattern
Chair of the German Society of Midwifery Science (DGHWi) e.V.

 

 

Words of welcome 1-9

#1
Great thematic and political importance

Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed colleagues,

I am thrilled that the University of Applied Sciences, Bochum is hosting the 5th International Conference of the German Society of Midwifery Science (DGHWi) which, this year, is focused on the theme “Models of Care in Midwifery Science”.

As an independent association of experts, the DGHWi promotes research, education, and practice in midwifery science. Through its work, it aims not only to contribute to the development of the midwifery field itself, but also to the advancement of healthcare provision for women and their families during pregnancy and birth as well as the postpartum and breast-feeding period that is geared towards their individual needs, is evidence-based, efficient, and effective.  

As a non-medical society of experts, the DGHWi is a member of the Association of Scientific Medical Societies in Germany (AWMF) and thus also actively involved in developing high-level guidelines.

Guidelines are evidence-based recommendations for courses of action by practitioners and are thus extremely important for the transfer of knowledge from science to practice.

The University of Applied Sciences was founded ten years ago to promote the academization of the healthcare professions and their continued development into scientific disciplines. The university’s social mission is to make a needs-oriented, evidence-based, efficient, and effective contribution to the improvement of regional healthcare. The development, trialing, and evaluation of new models of care is therefore particularly important for the University of Applied Sciences.

One of the key objectives of research in the health professions is to improve the quality of care. As well as the generation of basic knowledge, this also requires application-oriented knowledge on effective and efficient interventions to ensure that new knowledge enters into practice. On the whole, a significant gap between the realities in the healthcare field and the state of scientific knowledge can be identified in the sector.

For years now it has been clear that the transfer of new scientific findings to routine practice has been far too slow. This transfer is not something that can be happen alongside everyday professional life, however. It requires dedicated research projects conducted by highly qualified experts, well-versed in the requisite methodology. To promote research studies that facilitate the transfer of scientific knowledge to healthcare provision, we urgently need structures for research on implementation, evaluation, and provision of care.

Research in the field of midwifery science is still in its infancy. The nationwide academisation of midwifery, transferring midwifery education to universities and institutes of higher education, will enable the discipline to gradually develop and establish itself.

The research conducted by midwifery colleagues at hsg Bochum makes a valuable contribution to the national and international visibility and recognition of the University of Applied Sciences as a research university. Several outstanding examples of midwifery research will be presented and discussed during the conference.

The International Conference of the German Society of Midwifery Science, focused on the theme of “Models of Care in Midwifery Science”, is of great importance for the University of Applied Sciences, Bochum, both thematically and politically. Only by working together with committed partners from science and practice can we achieve our goal of the health professions providing evidence-based and needs-oriented care. To make this happen, disciplinary research and academically trained healthcare professionals are essential.

Wishing you all a successful and inspiring conference here in Bochum.

Kerstin Bilda, Vice President of Research

 

 

#2
Promotion of research by the HGH e.V.

Dear colleagues, researchers and future midwives,

Since the start of the 1990s, the promotion of research has been one of the pillars of the Midwifery Community Support Association (HGH e.V.) and I, for one, am delighted to see that this year, the German Society of Midwifery Science’s (DGHWi) 5th conference of experts, will, for the first time, be held over two days. This is a fitting length of time for a thorough discussion on the interesting topic of “models of care”. At this point, I would like to express my sincere thanks to all DGHWi participants for their dedication and for going above and beyond with the hard work they put in.

2019 was a successful year for Germany’s midwives. At long last, we now have legislation making midwifery a degree subject and this will help enable midwives to conduct more targeted research on their field of work.

The current shortage of locally provided midwifery care geared towards the individual needs of the women receiving that care is a tremendous burden for mothers-to-be and their families as well as the various professions involved in the provision of that care. In heterogeneous care structures, the mother-to-be often has no continuity of care, which is something that provides her with a sense of security and empowers her to make her own decisions about labour and delivery. The chances of the long-awaited changes in midwifery coming into effect are good. In light of the available evidence, giving birth in a large hospital cannot be considered the only safe option. It is equally clear that the high Caesarean section rate by no means helps to reduce maternal or childhood mortality. Good systems of care, on the other hand, provide continuity and individualised support that meets the personal wishes and physical needs of the woman receiving that care. It is time for a fundamental change in perspective. Health, well-being and happiness should replace risk, pathologisation and fear. In this context, the further development of midwife-led care is of the utmost priority and provides working models that also promote the well-being of midwives themselves. The academisation of midwifery in Germany could make a valuable contribution to this fresh start. Making midwifery into a higher education qualification gives midwives the opportunity to learn their profession comprehensively and, through research, enables them to preserve existing knowledge, gain new insights and inspire a change in thinking. Even before the adoption of the Midwifery Reform Act that we have fought so long for, many midwives attended university to obtain the additional degree-level qualification and some of them will present their most recent research findings at this conference over the next couple of days. Thanks to some industrious pioneering work, the small group of midwives conducting research has become a constantly growing community with its own professional association. 2019 was a successful year for Germany’s midwives. We can look to the coming years with a sense of excitement and delight. I am very hopeful that after so many years of what has felt like the doldrums, the winds of change are blowing for the field of midwifery. 

Christiane Borchard
Chair of the Midwifery Community Support Association (HGH) e.V

 

 

#3
Ensuring nationwide midwifery care

Dear colleagues, researchers and future midwives,

February will see DGHWi celebrate an important anniversary as we hold our International Conference for the 5th time! Better still, this year, for the first time, the conference will be a two-day event. I see this as a clear and important signal that, in Germany, more and more scientific activity and research is being conducted by and with midwives. Thanks to their sheer tenacity and considerable expertise, our colleagues have succeeded in establishing their own scientific community — and what’s more, they managed this long before it was resolved, at the end of last year, that, in Germany too, midwifery education should take place in a higher education setting. This makes me incredibly proud of our many colleagues in science. I’m really very eager and excited to witness the further establishment and results of the scientific work being conducted in the field of midwifery at universities and institutes of higher education.

This year’s DGHWi conference with its focus on models of care is of particular importance for the political work of the DHV as Germany’s largest association representing the interests of midwives. One of the reasons being that, apart from the imminent transfer of midwifery education to universities and institutes of higher education, guaranteeing universal midwife care is one of the key challenges faced by the field of midwifery today. The developments we have seen over the last few years are worrying. It is becoming increasingly difficult for women to find a midwife. In Germany, to this day, we have a paucity of good ideas as to how to guarantee universal provision of midwifery care. Moreover, in many parts of society, there is a lack of awareness about how our families and our society can benefit from good midwifery care.

Midwives working in science in Germany are increasingly part of an international network and this brings significant opportunities. This is something which is also vitally important to the DHV. The presentations given here by researchers from Germany and abroad will provide us with an important stimulus for our political work pertinent to the profession.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all an exciting, enjoyable and informative couple of days together with a productive exchange of ideas, experience and knowledge.

Warmest wishes,

Ulrike Geppert-Orthofer
President of the German Midwifery Association (DHV) e.V.

 

 

#4
A shared goal at the start of new life

At the start of a new life for mother and child, midwives and obstetricians have a shared goal.

This collaboration, the closeness of which has fluctuated over time, initially focused solely on the health and survival of the mother, then increasingly also centred on the child. It is a relationship that has developed over the centuries and one which, in Europe, has a particularly long tradition. Culture, contemporary history, the administration of justice as well as policy and politics have repeatedly undermined it from the outside, but so too have the internal needs and ambitions of associations. In the process, it is very easy for us to lose sight of the original objective. This is something we need to oppose.

At the start of a new life for mother and child, midwives and obstetricians have a shared goal.

The first midwifery school was founded by Johann Jacob Fried in Strasbourg in 1728, even before the first university clinic of obstetrics was established by Johann Georg Roederer in 1750. This was the first step towards the provision of evidence-based care to the broader population. In the past, German gynaecologists and the German Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (DGGG) assumed responsibility for training Germany’s midwives. Before this, empirical knowledge was passed from midwife to midwife, generally within the family. There was not yet adequate professional training benefiting as many pregnant women as possible, and scientific debate on the subject was also yet to take place.

Also, when the newly founded German Society of Midwifery Science (DGHWi) attempted to become a member of the AWMF so that it could be an equal partner when it came to developing guidelines, the DGGG advocated for the acceptance of the organisation into this network of professional medical and scientific associations.

That said, the relationship between the two professional associations, both of which are indispensable for the health of women and children, has not always been without its problems. Particularly in the recent past, differing positions have unfortunately occasionally overshadowed the common goal, resulting in mutual disappointment. This is something we should put behind us. Instead we should concentrate together on what mothers-to-be rightly expect of us and what, in the daily routine of many, many maternity wards and practices in Germany works so exceptionally well: mutual respect, effective communication, coordinated action and the creation of an environment that generates trust and a feeling of security for pregnant and labouring women. If gender aspects ever negatively impacted cooperation, this will soon be a thing of the past. Firstly, the large majority of gynaecologists working in obstetrics today are women and secondly, there has long since been a change in attitudes among male colleagues in the field.
With this in mind, we wish midwifery science the greatest success and prosperity in continuing this shared tradition — together with the German Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (DGGG).

The international communication and exchange of knowledge and information between the different professional groups is an essential component of this.

We would like to wish you all an exciting, productive, motivating and inspiring conference. After all, midwives and obstetricians have a shared goal: for a healthy child to be born to a healthy mother after the most natural and stress-free labour possible.

Anton Scharl
President of the German Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (DGGG) e.V.

 

 

#5
Conference characterised by new challenges

Dear midwives, midwifery researchers,  students of midwifery science and conference participants,

A new decade has just begun and the 5th Conference of the Society of Midwifery Science is being held against the backdrop of the fresh challenges this presents. By transferring midwifery education from technical colleges to higher education, Germany has just taken the first steps towards alignment with midwifery education elsewhere in Europe. Midwifery science will thus play an increasingly important role in the scientific exchange between all those involved in caring for pregnant women, their labour, their newborns and their families. The German Society of Perinatal Medicine has always considered itself a partner to DGHWi, and, as the President of that organisation I would like to wish the organisers and everyone actively involved in designing or participating in this conference the greatest success, delight in the acquisition of new knowledge and a productive exchange.

With best wishes

Rolf Schlößer
President of the German Society of Perinatal Medicine (DGPM) e.V.

 

 

#6
Integration of psychosomatic aspects

Dear conference participants,

There is no other branch of medicine with such an endless number of biopsychosocial facets as obstetrics, and, particularly at a time when we are seeing a paradigm shift, it is unfathomable why obstetrics is one of the least researched areas of medicine.
This fact and the aforementioned deficit is something that German midwifery science in particular gives special consideration. The aim is the broad, scientifically sound integration of psychosomatic aspects into obstetrics but it is also about creating more scientifically substantiated bodies of evidence and models of care in this field that is so essential to human beings.

Midwifery science poses fascinating questions and delivers scientific answers, it underpins the academisation of the midwifery profession, it is part of important committees such as those coordinating guidelines and of course it also integrates holistic approaches. Last but not least, a bridge has already been built with medical science and the academisation of the profession.

Two of the members of medical staff in my department are in the process of preparing for their medical doctorates in an institute for midwifery science.

This opens up numerous opportunities and possibilities which are so essential to our interdisciplinary work, particularly against a backdrop of increasing medicalisation and economisation of obstetrics.
The programme of the 5th International Conference of the DGHWi reflects all these approaches.

I hope that, in light of the promising outlook, you will be inspired to continue to conduct and promote midwifery science.

With warm wishes,

Wolf Lütje
President of the German Society of Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynaecology (DGPFG) e.V.

 

 

#7
Safe midwifery care geared towards women and their needs

2020 is a great year for midwives: The WHO has declared it the International Year of the Nurse and Midwife. And the International Confederation of Midwives, for their part, is calling for us to: “Celebrate: the work of midwives globally”. Moreover, the Nightingale Challenge encourages employers in the healthcare sector to help more midwives gain access to management positions. 

Here, in Germany, the academisation of midwifery education that has now been officially agreed can become more established and create a new generation of highly qualified midwives. This will only be successful if all the relevant institutions fill the degree with life, experience, knowledge, professional skills and their own research.
As independent midwives, we bring hands-on skills acquired in out-of-hospital settings and a wealth of knowledge and experience to the process and are happy to pass this on to the next generation.

We at the Federation of Independent Midwives in Germany (BfHD e.V.) are working tirelessly for the provision of high-quality, safe midwifery care geared towards women and their needs.

DGHWi’s International Conference is a celebration of what is an incredibly exciting year for us as midwives. It is particularly important to BfHD e.V to fill science and research in universities and institutes of higher education with life by incorporating our hands-on experience of the daily practice of midwifery work. Promoting and maintaining women’s and children’s health, holistic antenatal care and the entire field of midwifery and postnatal care with knowledge and empathy, day-to-day experience and a successful exchange of knowledge and information within networks are of the utmost priority for us. For this reason, we welcome the official decision to academise the midwifery profession, which envisages students of midwifery dedicating a significant amount of time to practical freelance work during their degree. We also accept that we have a responsibility to encourage our members to make an active contribution to shaping the practical education of the next generation of midwives by providing practical guidance during the work placement phase of their training.

I believe that the theme of this Conference — “Models of Care in Midwifery Science” — represents precisely this link between science and practice. The networks of midwives and other professionals working in the field of women’s and children’s health play a crucial role in the positive development of our society. Looking beyond our own national borders helps us to better understand the problems we are facing and to develop effective, sustainable, future-oriented solutions. On that note, on behalf of the BfHD e.V., I would like to wish you all a fruitful exchange and inspiring presentations and discussions in the spirit of a successful future for the field of midwifery.

Ilona Strache
Chair of the Federation of Independent Midwives in Germany (BfHD) e.V.

 

 

#8
Realising our full potential while retaining relative autonomy

Dear conference participants,

The change in legislation on midwifery education was a significant step forward for midwives. However, an international conference like this with such a wide range of participants always highlights the situation in other countries. This makes it patently clear that it is high time for Germany to stop being the straggler in Europe.

The transfer of midwifery education to universities and institutes of higher education will create more scientific expertise, something that is urgently needed in our profession and for the tasks we carry out in society. It will, for instance, be possible to conduct more midwifery-oriented research on caring for mothers and children.

The DGHWi plays an important role since, as an institution, it collates this expertise and makes it accessible via position statements, its involvement in the development of guidelines, as well as in its publication of the “Journal of Midwifery Science” and at conferences.

The Society for Quality in Out-of-Hospital Midwifery (QUAG) was part of the working group that founded the DGHWi. The cooperation between the two societies was mutually beneficial. QUAG provides numerical data for research and position statements, and DGHWi authors position papers and supports research in the field of out-of-hospital midwifery.

Despite the fact that only a very small proportion of all births in Germany take place in a non-hospital setting, the field still has an indirect impact on hospital midwifery. Many of the changes seen in hospital midwifery over the last decade started in this context. For us as midwives, out-of-hospital birth settings are something special because this is where we can realise our full potential while still retaining relative autonomy. It would be in our interests for more research to be conducted on out-of-hospital midwifery. The wealth of data collected by QUAG is available on request.

We wish you all the greatest of success and a rewarding exchange at this 5th International Conference.

Kirsten Asmushen
Treasurer of the Board of the Society for Quality in Out-of-Hospital Midwifery (QUAG) e.V.

 

 

#9
Words of welcome from the Editorial Team

Dear readers,

We are pleased to be able to provide you with the proceedings for the 5th International Conference of the German Society of Midwifery Science (DGHWi e.V.). Several different working groups and numerous DGHWi members were responsible for the organisation of this conference: The conference team at hsg Bochum, which undertook both the Call for Abstracts and the implementation of the Review, as well as the planning and organisation of the entire conference; the DGHWi Board, which was in constant close contact with the conference team; and, last but not least, the Editorial Board of the Journal of Midwifery Science, which put together this supplement.

For the 5th International Conference of the DGHWi, 60 abstracts were submitted, of which 10 presentations, 5 workshops, a symposium, a podium discussion and 31 posters went on to make up the conference. We were delighted to see such keen interest from international midwifery researchers as well as the large number of conference participants interested in the topic. Overall, we are expecting a total of approximately 150 participants from Estonia, Iceland, Norway, Austria, Switzerland, Great Britain and Germany.

This supplement of the Journal of Midwifery Science incorporates the abstracts for all the presentations, including the keynote, as well as the workshops and posters, in both English and German. Apart from the printed copy of the supplement, there are two different ways for you to access all documentation online:
a) as a PDF file via the DGHWi e. V. website and
b) via the GMS online portal “German Medical Science”, where the abstracts will be permanently accessible online and can be downloaded free of charge via https://www.egms.de/de/meetings/dghwi2020/. In the portal, you will also find links for and be able to download many of the finished posters (for each abstract) as a PDF file.

The GMS online portal is the interdisciplinary portal of the Association of Scientific Medical Societies in Germany (AWMF). It was developed in cooperation with the German Institute of Medical Documentation and Information (Deutsche Institut für Medizinische Dokumentation und Information, DIMDI) and the German Information Centre for Life Sciences (Deutsche Zentralbibliothek für Medizin, ZB MED) and provides access, free of charge, to high-level and quality-assured medical research and scientific articles, abstracts and position papers of relevance to midwives.

At the end of each individual abstract, both hard copy and online version, a DOI address is provided. This DOI, which acts as a unique identifier for the abstract, guarantees that each abstract will be stored for an unlimited time. The DOI localises the abstract on the Internet and enables you to download it directly via the http://www.doi.org/ search mask or via a conventional browser.

As in the past, you will be able to order a printed copy of the conference proceedings from our branch office after the conference.

We would like to take this opportunity to wish you all an enjoyable and inspiring 5th International Conference of the DGHWi in Bochum!

Elke Mattern und Gertrud M. Ayerle
Editorial Board

 

 

Keynote

The Quality Maternal and Newborn Care (QMNC) Framework’s influence in policy, practice, education, and research

Dr Andrew Symon
Midwife and lecturer in the Mother and Infant Research Unit at the School of Nursing and Health Sciences, University of Dundee, Scotland

Vita

Andrew Symon is a midwife as well as a senior lecturer in the Mother and Infant Research Unit at the University of Dundee in Scotland. His most recent research work has focused on models of midwifery care in Scotland and Australia, the quality of life of pregnant women/mothers and alcohol consumption during pregnancy.

Review Process

Prof. Dr. Rainhild Schäfers

For the 5th International Conference — Models of Care in Midwifery Science — we received a large number of abstracts both from within Germany and from other countries around the world. For the first time we used the online tool LimeSurvey to process and evaluate the abstracts submitted. Each abstract was subject to a blind peer review by two reviewers. In their evaluation, the reviewers were asked to take the level of qualification of the abstract submitted into account and to reject a request to evaluate an abstract if there was a conflict of interests. The abstracts were reviewed according to the following criteria:

• Does the abstract fully adhere to the formal requirements (length, quotations, ethics’ committee vote, if required, etc.)?
• Is the study/project/article rationale or the objective of the research clearly defined?
• Is the methodological approach adequately described?
• Are the key results/findings outlined or does the abstract indicate that the key results/findings will be described in the full paper?
• Will the study contribute new insights to pre-existing knowledge in this field?
• Does the abstract illustrate the relevance of the research for professional practice, teaching and/or research?

In each of these categories, the reviewer could award between 1 (lowest score) and 5 points (top score). If, due to missing information, it was not possible to provide a score for one of the criteria, a score of 0 points was awarded for this category.
Presentations were selected for the conference programme based on a score comprising a total of four criteria:

• The author would like to present their abstract as a conference paper
• Both reviewers recommend that the abstract be presented as a conference paper
• The paper was awarded over 50 points in the Review Process
• The paper originates outside Germany.

If applicable, 1 point was awarded for each of these criteria so an abstract could achieve a maximum score of 4 points. Provided that a submission was awarded at least 3 points, it was included as a presentation in the conference programme. The time slots in the programme were designed such that all papers achieving a minimum of 3 points could be included in the programme. If an abstract was not rejected outright by the reviewers but was not awarded the required number of points, the author was given the opportunity to submit a poster presentation.

If a submission was rejected by at least one reviewer, it was not included in the programme either as a presentation, poster or workshop.

The Review Process was coordinated by Annika Bode (B.Sc., M.A.), Fabiola Jessen (B.Sc.) and Mirjam Peters (B.Sc., M.Sc.) from the organising team for the 5th International Conference.

I would like to take this opportunity to express our sincere thanks to all our reviewers:
 

• Gertrud Ayerle, Dr.
• Nicola Bauer, Prof. Dr.
• Barbara Baumgärtner, Prof. Dr.
• Lea Beckmann,    Prof. Dr.
• Annette Bernloehr, Prof. Dr.
• Hanna Gehling, M.Sc.
• Mechthild Groß, PD Dr.
• Claudia Hellmers, Prof. Dr.
• Tina Jung, Dr.
• Daniela    Kahlke, M.A.
• Anne Kasper, B.Sc., M.Sc.
• Nina Knape, Prof. Dr.
• Monika Kraienhemke, Dr. cand.
• Astrid Krahl, Dr.
• Ute Lange, Prof. Dr.
• Julia Leinweber, Prof. Dr.
• Christine Loytved, Dr.
• Elke Mattern, M.Sc.
• Michaela Michel-Schuldt, M.Sc.
• Karin Niessen, Dipl. Pflege-Päd.
• Nina Peterwerth, B.Sc., M.Sc.
• Beate Ramsayer, Dr.
• Nina Reitis, Dipl. Gesundheitswiss.
• Rainhild Schäfers, Prof. Dr
• Martina Schlüter-Cruse, Prof. Dr.
• Christiane Schwarz, Prof. Dr.
• Susanne Simon, Prof. Dr
• Annekatrin Skeide, M.A.
• Nancy Stone, M.Sc.
• Joana Streffing; B.Sc., M.Sc.
• Sabine Striebich, Dipl. med. päd.
• Dorothea Tegethoff, Prof. Dr
• Andrea    Villmar, Dipl. Gesundheits. Ökonom.
• Therese Werner-Bierwisch, Dipl.-Berufspäd.
• Laura Zinßer, M.Sc.