Aspects Of Midwifery Research Articles

Rules, Responsibility, and Empathy in Maternity Hospitals: A Qualitative Study in Iran

Background: Empathy has been known as one of the fundamental principles of medical professions. Objectives: This study aimed to explore the perspectives of midwives’ trainers, students, and personnel about empathy in maternity hospitals. Methods: A qualitative design using a content analysis approach was used to explore the experiences of midwives’ trainers, students, and personnel in the maternity setting in Gachsaran, Iran. The study involved the recruitment of 41 participants, including 24 students, 14 personnel, and 3 midwifery trainers, who were selected using purposive sampling. Data were collected through 2 rounds of semi-structured interviews conducted via WhatsApp, with participants responding to 2 sets of questions. The text was analyzed using conventional qualitative content analysis, and the extracted codes were managed using MAXQDA software. Results: In general, 265 codes were extracted from the participants' interviews, which were classified into 3 categories (ie, “Client management is a top priority for every midwife, “the meaning of empathy," and “essentials in empathy”) and 9 subcategories. A total of 121 codes explained how to manage clients, 64 codes were related to the meaning of empathy, and 77 codes were linked to what people must consider in empathy. Conclusions: Empathy is a crucial concept in the field of midwifery and should be included in the curriculum. It is essential to emphasize the correlation between empathy and other aspects of midwifery, such as communication skills, clinical competence, and ethics. We recommend that both staff and students undergo ongoing training in the area of professional conduct to enable them to make informed decisions in challenging situations.

“Working towards being ready”: A grounded theory study of how practising midwives maintain their ongoing competence to practise their profession

Objectiveto present a grounded theory research study explaining how New Zealand midwives maintain their ongoing competence to practise their profession. Designgrounded theory, an interpretive emergent research methodology was used to examine the process of maintaining competence in midwifery practice. SettingNew Zealand urban and rural practice settings. Participantstwenty-six midwives from across New Zealand were interviewed and asked about maintaining their competence to practise. Five midwives were interviewed twice, to explore the emerging findings and as one method of member checking. Findingsthe grounded theory of ‘working towards being ready’ describes a continuous process in which midwives engage as they work to maintain practice competence. The component parts comprise professional positioning, identifying needs, strategizing solutions and reflecting on practice. The process is contextual, diverse and is influenced by the practice setting where the salient conditions of resourcing, availability and opportunity for engagement in activities are significant. Key conclusionsacross the midwifery profession, midwives in New Zealand are currently working under the generic umbrella of midwifery practice. Midwives work across a range of practice arenas in diverse ways focussed on providing safe care and require a range of professional development activities germane to their area of practice. When the midwife has access to professional development pertinent to their practice, women and the profession benefit. As there is diversity of practice, then mandated processes for ongoing competence need to have flexibility to reflect that diversity. Implications for practicemidwives engage in development that allows them to remain current in practice and that enables them to provide appropriate care to women and their babies. As a consequence they can develop expertise in certain aspects of midwifery. Mandated processes that require engagement in activities aimed at demonstration of competence should be evaluated and tailored to ensure they meet the needs of the developing profession.

Making the most of your elective placement

British Journal of MidwiferyVol. 20, No. 11 Midwife BlogMaking the most of your elective placementCheri PriceCheri PriceSearch for more papers by this authorCheri PricePublished Online:16 Aug 2013https://doi.org/10.12968/bjom.2012.20.11.834AboutSectionsView articleView Full TextPDF/EPUB ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InEmail View article FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails 1 November 2012Volume 20Issue 11ISSN (print): 0969-4900ISSN (online): 2052-4307 Metrics History Published online 16 August 2013 Published in print 1 November 2012 Information© MA Healthcare LimitedPDF download

A responsibility for evidence-based practice

Research and evidence-based practice are ‘buzz words’ in midwifery today. While credible research builds on a body of scientific knowledge that promotes midwifery as a profession, best practice is based on evidence from studies, particularly those that are action-oriented. This means that any aspects of midwifery (i.e. education, leadership and management, clinical practice) that rely heavily on research evidence to potentially enhance quality performance is a professional responsibility.

MIDWIVES' VIEWS REGARDING EDUCATIONAL NEEDS IN PERIMENOPAUSAL HEALTH AND CARE

Abstract Background: Today, due to medical improvements, 95% of women reach menopausal age. As a result, health providers should properly educate these women regarding physical and psychological changes of this period. Continuing education of midwives as health care providers is a necessity in this respect. Hence, assessing educational needs of them becomes a determinant factor in guaranteeing efficient educational program. Accordingly, assessing these needs is likely to support national health and wellbeing. Purpose: This descriptive study was conducted to determine the views of midwives regarding health education and care during perimenopausal period in Rafsanjan in 2006. Methods: All 97 midwives working in private and governmental sectors in Rafsanjan were chosen. Data were collected using a questionnaire consisted of two parts: demographic characteristics and items related to midwives’ views regarding educational needs. The validity of the questionnaire was determined by content validity and its reliability by test-retest. Results: Findings indicated that the most urgent need was nonmedical treatments in menopause (80%) . The next priority of midwives was sexual problems (76.25 % ), medical and hormonal treatments (75.75%), counseling during menopausal period (75.75%), exercise during menopausal period (72%), recognition of signs and symptoms of menopause (58%) and nutrition in menopause (53.5%). Conclusion: Recently, special attention has been given to menopause. Our findings showed that nonmedical treatments in menopause are the first priority of midwives regarding educational needs. This verifies nonmedical approaches in treatment during past decades. It is expected to use these approaches in educational planning of midwives. To make continuing education programs for midwives efficient, studies on assessing educational needs in other aspects of midwifery are warranted. Key words : Educational needs assesment, Menopause, Midwives, Complementary therapies, Health education.

Letters

In reply to Karen Johnsons's letter (Vol. 5(2) 1997, p.74), perhaps to obtain ‘true’ independency, we should take a step backwards. Learn from the past and ‘together’ establish a New Midwives Act. This would encompass all aspects of midwifery, from education, supervision, research and clinical and managerial practice.

Regulating Birth: Midwives, Medicine, and the Law

This book, written by an assistant professor of sociology, is a treatise on the complex forces and factors involved in the licensing process and resultant regulation outcomes. In this case it has to do with those concerned with the licensing of midwives, either lay or registered nurse. The author presents a balanced report on the historical aspects of midwifery and brings the subject up-to-date with in-depth discussions of that practice in three prototypical jurisdictions with different degrees of regulation of midwives. He analyzes the practice in Arizona (regulation through licensure), Texas (loose control and regulation), and California (defined prohibition). The sociological concepts involved in these developments are traced for each state. Although the book jacket makes the outright statement that "control over women's health care must be returned to women," the author addresses this declaration only through a unilateral discussion of regulation by licensure. One might argue, in the strictest

Important aspects of midwifery.

The art of midwifery must be one of the oldest of acquired skills. In prehistoric times, the more experienced women assisted and comforted their younger relatives during parturition. There are scattered references to midwives in ancient literature, including the Bible. In Genesis 35:17 we learn that Rachel’s death was the result of “ hard labour” . One should congratulate the midwife who delivered Sarah of a son at the age of 90 years - Genesis 17:17. Midwifery stagnated during the Middle Ages due, partly to the ignorance of the midwives as well as to a lack of knowledge of human anatomy coupled with the accepted teaching of the ancients, which was regarded as the ultimate authority. Great advances in the art and science of midwifery have occurred since the Middle Ages, amounting to a revolution in thought and practice. Less than 100 years ago, in 1898, in W.S. Playfair’s “Science and Practice of Midwifery” no mention was made of any form of antenatal examination or even of the testing of urine for albumin. Times have indeed changed - today the whole concept of maternal and child care would be quite unrecognisable to a Victorian midwife. We have also accepted the male midwife into our midst.

Some aspects of midwifery in Greece.

Some aspects of midwifery in Greece.