A Qualitative Study to Assess the Experience of Midwives Caring for Women in COVID-19 Wards

Abstract

Abstract Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has created unique challenges to the world, especially for the healthcare professionals. Although nurses are well able to think outside the box and develop creative and innovative solutions to all manner of problems and are able to cope up to the situation, there remains much about this current situation that is new and frightening. Like anyone else nurses are also experiencing fear of the unknown. Hence, the investigator was interested to know the experience of midwives working at a tertiary care hospital, South India, so that appropriate measures will be taken to help the midwives to face the crisis. Objective: The objective of this study is to explore the unique experiences of the midwives while caring for women in COVID-19 wards and identify the themes related to it during the crisis which will help the health professionals to understand and tailor interventions in the healthcare setting. Methods: The data in this study were generated by in-depth one-to-one, face-to-face interview with the midwives who fulfil the inclusion criteria until data saturation was achieved. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to elicit participants experience in COVID-19 wards. The sample size was 20. Analysis: Data from the translated interviews were coded and categorised to identify the themes. The unique experiences of midwives while caring for COVID-19 patients were presented as research reports. Results: The results of the qualitative study were categorised under four themes such as resistance and hesitation, acceptance, adaptation and recognition. Initially, the midwives were having resistance and hesitation, which was due to the various fears, lack of self-confidence and burden of personal protective equipment. Although they had hesitation and resistance, they started to accept the situation understanding that as frontline health workers they cannot escape the situation hence worked under pressure, in spite of lack of support, facility and the stigma around them. As they accepted to work, they were able to adapt to the situation by taking care of themselves. Conclusion: The qualitative study helped to explore the experiences of the midwives while caring for COVID-19 suspected and affected woman which has brought to the notice of the administrators the needs of the midwives so that appropriate interventions can be planned.