Advancing Midwifery and Nursing Practice: Equity, Inclusion and Integrated Care
A special issue of Healthcare (ISSN 2227-9032). This special issue belongs to the section "Women's Health Care".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 2 August 2026 | Viewed by 7
Special Issue Editors
Interests: quality of care; intrapartum care; maternal and neonatal outcomes; normal labor; health equity
Interests: quality of maternal and neonatal care (QMNC); midwifery-led models; respectful care; progress of labour; healthy settings/environment; salutogenesis; public health; women's health
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
We are pleased to invite you to contribute to this Special Issue dedicated to exploring the strategic directions for midwifery and nursing in advancing inclusion, equity, and health. In recent years, nursing and midwifery have been increasingly recognized as key disciplines in achieving global health goals, particularly in promoting community well-being and reducing disparities. The World Health Organization has outlined strategic directions aimed at strengthening these professions, emphasizing the importance of person-centered care, cultural sensitivity, and social justice. The scientific literature confirms that enhancing professional competencies, clinical competence, and interprofessional collaboration is essential to improving both access to and the quality of care, especially in underserved or vulnerable settings.
This Special Issue aims to collect theoretical and empirical contributions that explore and critically analyze current practices, models, and innovations in midwifery and nursing, with particular attention to their impact on health equity, social inclusion, and the long-term resilience and sustainability of health services. Submissions may address topics such as integrated care strategies and long-term care models, professional nursing roles, evidence-based interventions, and community-engaged approaches. The proposed theme aligns with Healthcare’s focus on multidisciplinary research and practical solutions that improve health outcomes across populations.
In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:
- Strategic frameworks and global policy implications for midwifery and nursing;
- Educational innovations to promote equity and development;
- Evidence-based clinical practices focused on underserved populations;
- Community health initiatives and participatory care models;
- Coordinated interprofessional models and organizational frameworks that promote inclusive and equitable care;
- Impacts of global crises (e.g., pandemics, conflict) on midwifery and nursing practices.
Dr. Simona Fumagalli
Dr. Laura Iannuzzi
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Healthcare is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- health equity
- quality of care
- vulnerability
- global health
- midwifery
- nursing
- health outcomes
- education
- evidence based practices
- determinants of health
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