Sonya MacVicar
Sonya MacVicar

Dr Sonya MacVicar

Associate Professor

 0131 455 2441

  S.MacVicar@napier.ac.uk

  

Biography

Dr Sonya MacVicar is registered with the NMC as an adult nurse, midwife, nurse tutor and independent prescriber with an extensive clinical career spanning a variety of senior roles in the fields of midwifery and neonatal nursing.
Sonya completed her MSc in Advanced Clinical Practice (neonatal) in 2011. She undertook her clinical research doctoral studies as a practitioner researcher conducting a mixed method study using behaviour change theory to develop and pilot an intervention supporting breastfeeding for the substance exposed mother and baby. The study was nominated for NMAHP award for doctoral studies exhibiting originality of ideas which have the potential for significant impact on practice.
Sonya entered academia in 2016 as a lecturer and researcher within the area of maternal and neonatal health and well-being. Her educational remit includes programme leadership roles within advanced nurse practitioner preparation, neonatal nurse development, independent prescribing, midwifery practice and supervision of doctoral and master's level students.
Sonya's research interests include the impact of substance use disorder in pregnancy and neonatal abstinence syndrome. She has published extensively in this area and as part of an international collaboration developed a novel research Core Outcome Set for infants at risk of neonatal opioid withdrawal. Her current pedagogical research includes neonatal education in low resource countries, development of advanced practice roles and the impact of independent nurse prescribing.
Sonya's expertise and professional standing withing the neonatal community is recognised by committee and advisory group representation on national government and educational bodies. Sonya has been commissioned as the midwifery and neonatal advisory consultant for the 2020 BBC drama 'The Nest'.

School

Research Groups

Themes

Research Areas

Esteem

Advisory panels and expert committees or witness

  • Royal College Midwives: Research Strategy Development ( Scotland ) Expert Working Group
  • Tommy's Preterm birth charity
  • NHS Health Scotland: ReHIP project
  • Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health: National Neonatal Programme Board

 

Conference Organising Activity

  • Conference panel chair
  • Newborn Vietnam Neonatal Education Conference (panel chair)
  • Edinburgh Napier University Learning, Teaching and Research conference. Poster presentation of Attitudes of healthcare professional towards substance use disorders in maternity setting. Edinburgh, UK.
  • NHS Lothian NMAHPP Conference. Oral presentation of Intervention supporting breastfeeding for the substance exposed mother and baby. Edinburgh, UK.
  • HESAV Midwifery Conference. Oral presentation and workshop of Diversity and approach to perinatal risks in vulnerable groups. Lausanne, Switzerland.
  • Edinburgh Napier University Learning, Teaching and Research conference. Oral presentation of Development and feasibility of clinical intervention to support breastfeeding in substance dependency. Edinburgh, UK.
  • Robert Gordon University doctoral student conference. Poster presentation of Supporting breastfeeding establishment among socially disadvantaged women. Aberdeen , UK. (Best poster,2nd prize winner)
  • Reason 21st Annual Neonatal Conference. Oral presentation of IBriS Study: Randomised Controlled Trial. Warwick University, UK. (shortlisted top 3 conference presentations)
  • Doctoral Midwifery Research Society. Poster presentation of Intervention supporting breastfeeding in substance dependency in pregnancy.- University of West Scotland, Ayr UK.
  • Scottish Neonatal Nurses Group annual conference. Oral presentation of Intervention supporting breastfeeding for infant at risk of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome. Paisley, UK.
  • Robert Gordon University doctoral student conference. Poster presentation of The effectiveness and maternal satisfaction of interventions supporting the establishment of breastfeeding for women from disadvantaged groups. Aberdeen, UK.

 

External Examining/Validations

  • University of Manchester

 

Fellowships and Awards

  • Fellow Higher Education Academy
  • Shortlisted for the 'Originality of Doctoral Research' award at the 2017 Scottish NMAHP Research Awards.
  • Doctoral Research Studentship for NMAHP. Robert Gordon University & NHS Grampian

 

Invited Speaker

  • The Royal Society of Medicine: Invited speaker ' Non-pharmacological management of neonatal abstinence syndrome'. London, UK.
  • Perinatal and Neonatal Endowment Fund Research Forum: Invited speaker 'IBriS study- recommendations for practice'. NHS Grampian, Aberdeen.
  • Robert Gordon University Research Series Seminars: Invited speaker 'Clinical Academic Careers'. Aberdeen, UK.

 

Membership of Professional Body

  • Neonatal Nurse Association
  • Staff and Educational Development Association
  • Scottish Neonatal Nurses Group

 

Research Degree External Examining

  • External examiner: MRes -Understanding prospective fathers’ attitudes towards infant feeding and exploring their role in the infant feeding experience.

 

Reviewing

  • British Journal of Midwifery
  • Journal of Midwifery
  • 'Trials' journal
  • Reviewer for JBI Evidence Synthesis
  • International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
  • Reviewer for 'Midwifery'
  • Reviewer for Birth Journal
  • Reviewer for OBM Integrative and complementary medicine
  • Reviewer for Medicines Journal
  • Reviewer for Maternal and Child Nutrition Journal
  • Reviewer for Journal of Addictions Research
  • Journal of Gynaecology and Obstetrics
  • Reviewer for Joanna Briggs Institute Database of systematic reviews and implementation studies

 

Filter by

Date


26 results

Breastfeeding and opiate dependency

Journal Article
MacVicar, S. (2017)
Breastfeeding and opiate dependency. RcM Midwives, 34
Breastfeeding and opiate dependency: My PhD Summary. A lecturer at Edinburgh Napier University on her doctoral study.

Breastfeeding Support and Opiate Dependence: A Think Aloud Study

Journal Article
MacVicar, S., Humphrey, T., & Forbes-McKay, K. E. (2017)
Breastfeeding Support and Opiate Dependence: A Think Aloud Study. Midwifery, 50, 239-245. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2017.04.013
Objective: international guidelines recommend the promotion and protection of breastfeeding for the substance exposed mother and baby. Yet few studies have explored the facili...

Ibris Study: intervention supporting breastfeeding in substance dependency

Thesis
MacVicar, S. Ibris Study: intervention supporting breastfeeding in substance dependency. (Thesis)
Robert Gordon University. Retrieved from http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/1023772
Introduction: Breastfeeding offers the substance exposed mother and child potential short and long-term health benefits, with breast milk shown to alleviate the severity of Ne...

Supporting Breastfeeding Establishment among Socially Disadvantaged Women: A Meta-Synthesis

Journal Article
MacVicar, S., Kirkpatrick, P., Humphrey, T., & Forbes-McKay, K. E. (2015)
Supporting Breastfeeding Establishment among Socially Disadvantaged Women: A Meta-Synthesis. Birth, 42(4), 290-298. https://doi.org/10.1111/birt.12180
Background Many women from socially disadvantaged groups discontinue breastfeeding in the early postnatal period before lactation is fully established. This suggests that exis...

The effectiveness and maternal satisfaction of breast-feeding support for women from disadvantaged groups: a comprehensive systematic review

Journal Article
MacVicar, S., & Kirkpatrick, P. (2014)
The effectiveness and maternal satisfaction of breast-feeding support for women from disadvantaged groups: a comprehensive systematic review. JBI database of systematic reviews and implementation reports, 12(6), 420-476. https://doi.org/10.11124/jbisrir-2014-1561
Background: Breast‐feeding is considered the optimum method of infant nutrition conveying health and psychological benefits for mother and baby. Women from disadvantaged group...

The effectiveness and maternal satisfaction of interventions supporting the establishment of breast-feeding for women from disadvantaged groups: a comprehensive systematic review protocol

Journal Article
MacVicar, S., & Wilcock, S. (2013)
The effectiveness and maternal satisfaction of interventions supporting the establishment of breast-feeding for women from disadvantaged groups: a comprehensive systematic review protocol. JBI database of systematic reviews and implementation reports, 11(8), 48-63. https://doi.org/10.11124/jbisrir-2013-931
Review question/objective: The review question is ‘how effective are and what is the level of maternal satisfaction with interventions supporting breast‐feeding establishment ...

Pre-Napier Funded Projects

  • NHS Grampian Perinatal and Neonatal Endowment fund : IBRIS study: Intervention supporting breastfeeding for substance exposed mother and baby. Total funding £18,900

Current Post Grad projects

Previous Post Grad projects

Non-Napier PhD or MSc by Research supervisions

  • External supervisor-doctoral study