Dr Sam Chenery-Morris

Sam has made substantial contributions to the advancements of midwifery education knowledge, specifically related to student’s learning and assessment in clinical practice, starting with her master’s dissertation which critiqued the Nursing and Midwifery Council policy (NMC 2009) which introduced mandatory grading of clinical practice for student midwives using discourse analysis (Chenery-Morris 2010; 2011) and has culminated in a sole authored monograph published in December 2020: Grading Student Midwives’ Practice: A case study exploring relationships, identity and authority by Routledge in their series Routledge Research in Nursing and Midwifery. 

Sam was invited to work with a small group of Lead Midwives for Education on a three-phased national grading project which commenced in 2013. Outputs from this research include two national reports and a project website with open access resources for educators https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/research/national-grading-of-practice-in-pre-registration-midwifery-project.  Findings from this project have been disseminated at national and international conferences and the resources have also been evaluated involving midwifery academics, clinicians, and students at Plymouth University (publication in progress).  

Sam was an academic midwife on NICE Antenatal Care Guideline development committee from 2018-2021. This substantial evidence-based guideline will shape the care of circa 700,000 pregnant women in England annually. https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng201/chapter/Recommendations

Lately Sam has been leading on two funded projects researching inclusive practices in menopause support within the East of England's health and social care sectors.

Research Papers

Chenery-Morris, S and Divers, J (2024a) Midwifery higher education – who are we and who do we teach? British Journal of Midwifery, 32 (1). ISSN 0969-4900

Divers, J and Chenery-Morris, S (2024b) The gender debate: is midwifery education ‘women’s work’? British Journal of Midwifery, 32 (4). pp. 202-207. ISSN 0969-4900

Chenery-Morris, S and Divers, J (2024c) The diversity debate: Is midwifery higher education addressing the challenges of systemic racism? British Journal of Midwifery, 32 (7). ISSN 0969-4900

Divers, J and Chenery-Morris, S (2024d) The pay & conditions debate: what is the reality of the working environment in midwifery higher education? British Journal of Midwifery, 32 (9). ISSN 0969-4900

Divers, J and Chenery-Morris, S (2024e) The practice debate: are midwifery educators and midwives in practice working together to support the education of the future workforce? British Journal of Midwifery. ISSN 0969-4900

Chenery-Morris, S and Divers, J (in press) Is the midwifery profession academic enough? British Journal of Midwifery, 32 (1). ISSN 0969-4900

Journal articles

The Exploring Food Guidance series comprises six-articles examining how evidence has informed the guideline and revealing where guidance is lacking or conflicting and suggesting how this might influence practice.  

Divers, J and Chenery-Morris, S (in press-July 2022) Food supplementation in pregnancy: advice, physiology, and evidence. The Practising Midwife. 25 (7), TBD 

Divers, J and Chenery-Morris, S (in press-May 2022) Alcohol in pregnancy and beyond: advice, physiology, and evidence. The Practising Midwife. 25 (5), TBD 

Divers, J and Chenery-Morris, S (2022) Eggs in pregnancy: advice, physiology, and evidence. The Practising Midwife. 25 (3), 26-30 

Divers, J and Chenery-Morris, S (2022) Meat and Fish in pregnancy: advice, physiology, and evidence. The Practising Midwife.25 (1), 24-29 

Divers, J and Chenery-Morris, S (2021) Dairy in pregnancy and beyond: advice, physiology, and evidence. The Practising Midwife. 24 (10), 26-30 

Divers, J and Chenery-Morris, S (2021) Caffeine Consumption: advise, physiology and evidence, The Practising Midwife, 24 (8) p25-29 

The Understanding Research Series comprises of 11 articles published bi-monthly from 2019 until 2021 in The Practising Midwife. 

Baker, B. and Chenery-Morris, S. (2021) Understanding Research 11: Critiquing the literature and disseminating your findings, The Practising Midwife, 24 (6) p24-28 

Baker, B. and Chenery-Morris, S. (2021) Understanding Research 10: Analysing qualitative and quantitative data, The Practising Midwife, 24 (4) p26-31  

Baker, B. and Chenery-Morris, S. (2021) Understanding Research 9: Methods of data collection in quantitative methodologies: documentary methods and clinical measurements, The Practising Midwife, 24 (1) p24-28 

Baker, B. and Chenery-Morris, S. (2020) Understanding Research 8: Methods of data collection in qualitative methodologies: observation, Interviews and focus groups. The Practising Midwife, 23 (11) p21-26 

Baker, B. and Chenery-Morris, S. (2020) Understanding Research 7: Quantitative methodologies: the ubiquitous survey, exploring descriptive and inferential statistics The Practising Midwife 23 (9) p26-30 

Baker, B. and Chenery-Morris, S. (2020) Understanding Research 6: Quantitative methodologies: explaining experimental methods and non-experimental design, The Practising Midwife, 23 (7) 24-28 

Baker, B. and Chenery-Morris, S. (2020) Understanding Research 5. Qualitative methodologies continued: exploring ethnography, case study, action research and the more generic qualitative approach. The Practising Midwife 23 (5) p24-28 

Baker, B and Chenery-Morris, S., (2020) Understanding Research Series: 4 Qualitative research methodologies: nuances between phenomenology, grounded theory and narrative research. The Practising Midwife, 23 (3) p26-30 

Baker, B and Chenery-Morris, S., (2019) Understanding Research Series: 3 Quantitative and Qualitative paradigms, principles and sampling. The Practising Midwife 22, 10, 26-29 

Baker, B and Chenery-Morris, S., (2019) Understanding Research Series: 2 Theoretical and Conceptual Frameworks and their application to midwifery knowledge and research, The Practising Midwife, 22, (8), 26-29 

Baker, B and Chenery-Morris, S., (2019) Understanding Research Series: 1 Philosophy in Midwifery, The Practising Midwife, 22 (6) 26-30 

Chenery-Morris S (2020) Grading students’ practice: case study and discussion, MIDIRS Midwifery Digest. 30(1):20–26, 2020 

Way, S., Fisher, M. and Chenery-Morris, S., (2019). An evidence-based toolkit to support grading of pre-registration midwifery practice. British Journal of Midwifery, 27(4), p251-257  https://doi.org/10.12968/bjom.2019.27.4.251 

*Fisher, M., Bower, H., Chenery-Morris, S., Galloway, F., Jackson, J., Way, S., Fisher, M.M., (2019). National Survey: Developing a Common Approach to Grading of Practice in Pre-registration Midwifery. Nurse Education in Practice, 34 (January), p150-160 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nepr.2018.11.014 

*Fisher, M., Way, S., Chenery-Morris, S., Jackson, J. and Bower, H., (2017b). Core principles to reduce current variations that exist in grading of Midwifery practice in the United Kingdom. Nurse Education in Practice. 3 (March), p54-60 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.nepr.2017.02.006 

*Fisher, M., Bower, H., Chenery-Morris, S., Jackson, J., Way., (2017a). A scoping study to explore the application and impact of grading practice in pre-registration Midwifery programmes across the United Kingdom. Nurse Education in Practice, 24, p99-105  http://doi.org/10.1016/j.nepr.2016.01.007 

*Chenery-Morris, S (2015) The importance of continuity of mentorship in pre-registration midwifery education, Evidence Based Midwifery 13 (2): 47-53 

*Chenery-Morris, S (2014) Exploring students’ and mentors’ experiences of grading midwifery practice, Evidence Based Midwifery 12 (3):101-106 

Passmore, H and Chenery-Morris, S. (2014) Exploring the value of the tripartite assessment. Nurse Education in Practice 14 (1); 92-97  

Chenery-Morris, S (2012) The students’ perspective of evaluating grading midwifery practice; a World Café model. MIDIRS Midwifery Digest 22(2): 153-158 

Chenery-Morris, S and H. Passmore (2012) Grading pre-registration midwifery education; a concept analysis, Evidence Based Midwifery 10(2):57-63 

Chenery-Morris, S. (2012) Facilitating a midwifery book club. The Practising Midwife 15 (3): 30-33 

Chenery-Morris, S. (2011) Using poster presentations in assessment, The Practising Midwife, 14 (7) 20-22 

Chenery-Morris, S. (2011) Top Ten tips for sign-off mentors assessing midwifery students in practice. Essentially MIDIRS 2(8): 27-31. 

Chenery-Morris, S. (2011) Top Ten tips for writing assignments, Essentially MIDIRS 2(6): 27-31. 

Chenery-Morris, S (2011) Constructing methodology: a radical textual analysis, Evidence Based Midwifery 9 (3) 102-106 

*Chenery-Morris, S. (2010) Grading midwifery practice; a discourse analysis. Evidence Based Midwifery 8(4): 122-127. 

National reports  

Fisher, M., Bower, H., Chenery-Morris, S., Galloway, F., Jackson, J., Way, S., Fisher, M.M., (2018). National Grading of Practice in Pre-registration Midwifery Project: Report on final phase on-line survey (Phase 3). United Kingdom: LME-UK Executive. [Online], Available: https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/research/national-grading-of-practice-in-pre-registration-midwifery-project   

Fisher, M., Bower, H., Chenery-Morris, S., Galloway, F., Jackson, J., Way, S., (2019). Practice Assessment Toolkit. National ‘Grading of Practice in Pre-registration Midwifery’ Project. [Online], Available: https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/research/national-grading-of-practice-in-pre-registration-midwifery-project 

Books and book chapters: 

Chenery-Morris, S (2020) Grading Midwifery Practice: A Case Study Exploring Relationships, Identity and Authority, Routledge, London 

Forrest, E (ed) (2019) Midwifery at a Glance, Wiley and Sons Ltd. (Several single page chapters in this book) 

Gribben, M., McLellen, S., McGirr, D and Chenery-Morris, S (2017) How to Survive your Nursing or Midwifery Course, Sage Publications Ltd, London (three of the chapters) 

Chenery-Morris, S, Passmore, H and Muscat, H (2015) Contexts of Midwifery, Learning Matters, Sage, London 

Chenery-Morris, S and McLean, M (2013) Normal Midwifery Practice, Learning Matters, Exeter 

Passmore, H and Chenery-Morris, S (2013) New Beginnings in Taylor, J, Bond, E and Woods M, Eds. Early Childhood Studies, 3rd edition, Hodder Arnold, London 

Chenery-Morris, S and Theodosius, C (2011) Case Study: Lecturer-Student Perspective of Virtual Learning Environment in Cashin, A. and R. Cook, Eds. (2011). Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing Informatics-Concepts and Applications, IGI Publishing 

Goodchild, T. and S. Chenery-Morris, (2011) Educational Podcasts at University Campus Suffolk, In Wan N (Ed) Mobile Technologies and Handheld Devices for Ubiquitous Learning: Research and Pedagogy, IGI Publishing, Australia 

Chenery-Morris, S and Lynch A (2010) Reproductive System, chapter 16 in Coyne, I, Timmins, F and Neill F Eds. (2010) Clinical Skills in Children’s Nursing, Oxford University Press, Oxford 

Dr Chenery-Morris supported four nursing students and the Dean from the School of Health and Sports’ Sciences on the third international study tour to Japan (February 2019). The students participated in a Global Leader Training and International Exchange Program for Nursing Students: “Challenges for an ageing society as a global health issue and the role of nurses”. Organised by Keio University, Tokyo, Japan with students from Korean, China, the US, UK and Japan. 

Dr Chenery-Morris attended and presented at the European Midwives Association Conference, held in London in 2016 and in 2014 had two oral presentations at the International Midwives Confederation in Prague.

Advance HE: Senior Fellow

Royal College of Midwives: Member

Higher Education Academy: Fellow

Royal College of Nursing: Member