Evaluation of clinical competence and professional socialization of midwives practitioner in Khuzestan hospitals

Abstract

Clinical competency and professional socialization are the professional features important for the staff in a health system. Clinical competency plays an important role in improving the clinical skills and the quality of midwifery services; it also can reduce maternal and neonatal mortality. Professional socialization is the process of assuming professional roles which is concerned with individuals’ culturalization in the existing patterns in an organization. This study aimed to determine clinical competency and professional socialization among midwives working in hospitals in Khuzestan Province . This descriptive study was conducted on 96 midwives working in the maternity wards in the hospitals in Khuzestan Province . Data on their clinical competency and professional socialization were collected through self-assessment and evaluation methods by the observer as well as Toit’s Professional Socialization Questionnaire, respectively; and they were analyzed using the SPSS software version 18 . Midwives’ clinical competency was evaluated at a high level as 93.8% in the self-assessment method and 90.6% by the observers. Clinical competency through the self-assessment method was significantly lower in the admission stage (p < 0.05) compared with evaluation by the observer; and it was greater at the first, second, third, and postpartum stages (p < 0.01). The level of professional socialization among midwives was poor by 1% and it was on average and high by 16.7% and 82.3%; respectively . The clinical competency and the professional socialization of employed midwives have reached a desirable level after three years since their work start-up, and they have obtained necessary clinical and professional skills in performing their midwifery duties. But, there are still 18% of midwives without any professional socialization .