Personal, professional and workplace factors that contribute to burnout in Australian midwives.

AIM: This study aimed to identify personal, professional and workplace factors that contribute to burnout in midwives. BACKGROUND: Burnout is prevalent in the midwifery workforce. Burnout adversely affects the well-being of midwives, diminishes the quality of care they provide and can shorten career duration. DESIGN: Self-administered online survey. The survey included the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory and personal and professional variables related to age, children, years of experience, role, model of care and satisfaction with work life. Midwives were invited to participate via an email sent from the Australian College of Midwives and through professional networks between June and July 2014. Variables associated with burnout were entered in a multinomial logistic regression. RESULTS: A total of 1,037 responses were received and 990 analysed. The prevalence of moderate to severe personal (N = 643; 64.9%) and work-related burnout (N = 428; 43.8%) were high. Having children, providing caseload midwifery care and working in a regional area were associated with low burnout. However, midwives registered for 5-10 years were more likely to report work and client-related burnout. Similarly, midwives reporting a lack of satisfaction with work-life balance were also more likely to report personal and work-related burnout. CONCLUSIONS: Family-friendly work environments that facilitate work-life balance can help to reduce the personal and organizational costs of burnout. Similarly, providing continuity of midwifery care in a caseload model can facilitate work-life balance and provide significant mental health benefits to participating midwives.

Australian midwifery students and the continuity of care experience--getting it right.

The evidence base supporting the value to be gained by women and babies from receiving continuity of care from a known midwife is growing; it is essential, therefore, that we nurture the future workforce to work within this model of care. The Australian National Midwifery Education Standards mandate that midwifery students provide continuity of care to 20 women as part of their practice requirements. The educational value to students and the degree of preparation this provides for future work patterns is well acknowledged. There is also growing evidence that women, too, benefit from having a student follow them through the pregnancy journey. This paper examines the experience of some students working within this model and comments on the importance of providing a flexible programme delivery model and supportive midwifery educators in order to sustain and develop this innovative approach to completing clinical practice requirements within a midwifery education programme.

The social organisation of decision-making about intrapartum fetal monitoring: An Institutional Ethnography.

BACKGROUND: International guidelines recommend intrapartum cardiotocograph (CTG) monitoring for women at risk for poor perinatal outcome. Research has not previously addressed how midwives and obstetricians enable or hinder women's decision-making regarding intrapartum fetal monitoring and how this work is structured by external organising factors. AIM: To examine impacts of policy and research texts on midwives' and obstetricians' work with labouring women related to intrapartum fetal monitoring decision-making. METHODS: We used a critical feminist qualitative methodology known as Institutional Ethnography (IE). The research was conducted in an Australian tertiary maternity service. Data collection included interviews, observation, and texts relating to midwives' and obstetricians' work with the fetal monitoring system. Textual mapping was used to explain how midwives' and obstetricians' work was organised to happen the way it was. FINDINGS: CTG monitoring was initiated predominantly by midwives applying mandatory policy. Midwives described reluctance to inform labouring women that they had a choice of fetal monitoring method. Discursive approaches used in a national fetal surveillance guideline, a Cochrane systematic review, and the largest randomised controlled trial regarding CTG monitoring in labour generated and reproduced assumptions that clinicians, not labouring women, were the appropriate decision-maker regarding fetal monitoring in labour. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Guidelines structured midwives' and obstetricians' work in a manner that undermined women's participation in decisions about fetal monitoring method. Intrapartum fetal monitoring guidelines should be critically reviewed to ensure they encourage and enable midwives and obstetricians to support women to make decisions about intrapartum care.

Examining the transformation of midwifery education in Australia to inform future directions: An integrative review.

BACKGROUND: Integral to quality midwifery practice is the education of midwives. Like other countries, Australia faces ongoing challenges in delivering midwifery education programs. Reasons include escalating program costs, challenges in securing meaningful clinical experiences, subsumption of midwifery with nursing, and associated loss of identity in some institutions. AIM: To critically examine the literature exploring the historical and current drivers, supports and impediments for entry-to-practice midwifery programs to identify strategies to strengthen midwifery education in Australia. METHODS: A structured integrative literature review using Whittemore and Knafl's five-stage framework was undertaken; 1) problem identification, 2) literature search, 3) data evaluation, 4) data analysis, and 5) presentation of results. FINDINGS: The literature search identified 50 articles for inclusion. The thematic analysis identified four key themes: i. a commitment to educational reform, ii. building a midwifery workforce, iii. quality maternity care through midwifery education, and iv. progressing excellence in midwifery education. DISCUSSION: Extensive literature describes the evolution of midwifery education in Australia over the last 30 years. Through collaboration and amidst opposition, quality midwifery education has been established in Australia. Identification of midwifery as a distinct profession and transformative leadership have been integral to this evolution and must be grown and sustained to prevent a decline in standards or quality. CONCLUSION: There is a need to address priorities in midwifery education and for the evaluation of midwifery programs and pedagogy. The provision and maintenance of quality education and practice require shared responsibility between education providers and health care services.

Responding to the changing landscape: Australian midwifery.

The maternity reform agenda within Australia has seen a considerable shift in the last decade towards recognition of the role of the midwife and promotion of midwifery care. The current legislative changes and focus on providing woman centred models of care have created unprecedented opportunities for midwives to rise to the challenge and work to the full scope of practice of a midwife. Changes to maternity service delivery and the educational preparation of midwives have been accompanied by growing recognition of the distinction between nursing and midwifery. As a result midwifery in Australia is in transition, moving from a position of submersion within nursing to one of a strong well educated autonomous profession with a defined scope of practice. This paper examines the changing landscape of midwifery in Australia within three areas: regulation, education and practice.

Promoting normal birth the easy way.

There is a growing concern internationally about the continued rise in birth intervention. Caesarean section rates continue to rise within the international arena. Women are losing confidence in the birth process being natural and safe and often exhibit moderate to high levels of fear during pregnancy. Simultaneously midwives are in danger of losing their role as the guardians of normal birth. This paper presents an easy to follow, evidence based framework that midwives can use at a personal or organisational level to promote normal birth and support women to move back to feeling excited anticipation about birth.

International consensus definition of critical thinking in midwifery practice: A Delphi study.

PROBLEM: Currently there is no discipline-specific definition of critical thinking in midwifery practice. BACKGROUND: Critical thinking in midwifery practice is the cornerstone for safe, evidence based, and woman centred clinical decision-making. Available definitions of critical thinking in other disciplines do not align with midwifery practice which is distinctive, multidimensional and complex. AIM: To develop an international consensus definition of critical thinking in midwifery practice. METHODS: A two round Delphi study was used. Thirty-two international midwifery experts contributed to the first round which was qualitative in nature. Twenty one of these experts then ranked the relevance and clarity of concepts from round one. FINDINGS: A consensus definition of critical thinking in midwifery practice was achieved. The expert panel identified and defined 14 'Habits of Mind' and 12 Skills that are the core of critical thinking in midwifery practice. Skills included; analysis, constructive application and contextualisation of best available evidence, problem solving, discriminating, predicting, evaluation of care, collect and interpret clinical cues, collaboration/ negotiation, reflexivity, facilitates shared decision-making, communication, and transforming knowledge. Habits of Mind included; intellectual curiosity, reflective, holistic view, intellectual integrity, flexibility, questioning/challenging, participatory, open mindedness, listening with understanding and empathy, cultural humility, woman centred, being brave, confidence, and creativity. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: This study is an international first and delineates characteristics of critical thinking in midwifery. Development of a consensus definition provides a common and shared understanding of the skills and attributes required for critical thinking in midwifery practice and can also be applied in education and research.

Midwives must, obstetricians may: An ethnographic exploration of how policy documents organise intrapartum fetal monitoring practice.

BACKGROUND: The capacity for midwifery to improve maternity care is under-utilised. Midwives have expressed limits on their autonomy to provide quality care in relation to intrapartum fetal heart rate monitoring. AIM: To explore how the work of midwives and obstetricians was textually structured by policy documents related to intrapartum fetal heart rate monitoring. METHODS: Institutional Ethnography, a critical qualitative approach was used. Data were collected in an Australian hospital with a central fetal monitoring system. Midwives (n=34) and obstetricians (n=16) with experience working with the central fetal monitoring system were interviewed and observed. Policy documents were collected and analysed. FINDINGS: Midwives' work was strongly structured by policy documents that required escalation of care for any CTG abnormality. Prior to being able to escalate care, midwives were often interrupted by other clinicians uninvited entry into the room in response to the CTG seen at the central monitoring station. While the same collection of documents guided the work of both obstetricians and midwives, they generated the expectation that midwives must perform certain tasks while obstetricians may perform others. Midwifery work was textually invisible. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Our findings provide a concrete example of the way policy documents both reflect and generate power imbalances in maternity care. Obstetric ways of knowing and doing are reinforced within these documents and continue to diminish the visibility and autonomy of midwifery. Midwifery organisations are well placed to co-lead policy development and reform in collaboration with maternity consumer and obstetric organisations.

Prepared and motivated to work in midwifery continuity of care? A descriptive analysis of midwifery students' perspectives.

BACKGROUND: Internationally, midwifery education and maternity services are evolving to promote midwifery continuity of care. It is unclear whether current Australian midwifery education programs are graduating a midwifery workforce prepared and motivated to work in this way. AIM: To discover how well midwifery students in Australia feel they have been prepared and motivated to work in midwifery continuity of care when they enter practice. METHODS: A pragmatist approach was used. Participants were final year midwifery students at one Australian university participating in the Midwifery Student Evaluation of Practice (MidSTEP) project over three consecutive years. Descriptive analysis of selected scaled and free text responses was undertaken to ascertain how students' clinical practice experiences had influenced their learning, development and career aspirations. RESULTS: Exposure to midwifery continuity of care had profound impact on students' learning, enabling them to provide woman-centred midwifery care whilst increasing confidence and preparedness for practice. The majority were motivated to work in midwifery continuity of care upon graduation. A small minority of participants felt unprepared to work in midwifery continuity of care, attributing this to their family commitments, a sense of needing more experience or unsupportive workplace cultures. SUMMARY: Midwifery continuity of care experiences are highly valued by midwifery students and positively influence confidence, preparation and motivation for beginning practice. It is necessary to review education standards to ensure quality, consistency, and adequacy of these experiences throughout pre-registration midwifery education. This will assist in generating a midwifery workforce prepared and motivated to deliver the goals of maternity service reform.

What do midwifery leaders need in order to be effective in contributing to the reform of maternity services?

PROBLEM: Little is known about what midwifery leaders need to effectively contribute to maternity services reform. BACKGROUND: Despite evidence establishing midwifery continuity of care as the gold standard of maternity care, implementation of these models has been slow. Midwives in health service leadership roles are in an ideal position to re-orientate maternity services to midwifery continuity of care. QUESTION: What do midwives in leadership positions need in order to be effective in contributing to the reform of maternity services in Australia? METHODS: This qualitative descriptive study used purposive sampling to recruit 13 midwifery leaders from across Australia. Individual telephone interviews were conducted and analysed through line-by-line coding and identification of themes. FINDINGS: Five main themes emerged from the data: 'core leadership skills and education are essential'; 'motivation and commitment to implementing evidence-based maternity care'; 'ability to create and sustain strategic relationships'; 'bringing the vision to life' which contained two sub-themes of 'changing the culture' and 'reaching midwifery's full potential'; and, 'organisational support and commitment are key to maternity reform'. DISCUSSION: This study echoes findings from previous research emphasising the importance of leadership attributes and development opportunities for midwifery leaders. Additional needs of midwifery leaders were also revealed, which have not yet been extensively explored in the literature, including a strong commitment to continuity of care, effective relationships with key stakeholders and support from healthcare executives. CONCLUSION: Midwifery leaders need to be equipped to contribute to maternity care reform through leadership development opportunities, effective relationships and support from healthcare executives.

The prevalence of burnout, depression, anxiety and stress in the Lithuanian midwifery workforce and correlation with sociodemographic factors.

AIM: To investigate the prevalence of burnout, depression, anxiety and stress of Lithuanian midwives. DESIGN: A descriptive, cross-sectional survey design. METHODS: The Work Health and Emotional Wellbeing of Midwives (WHELM) survey instrument developed within the Australian maternity context was adapted and used in this research. The survey collects country-specific demographic data and incorporates several validated measures including the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI), Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21). RESULTS: Three hundred and thirty-eight completed surveys were received. Results obtained using a CBI subscale showed that 84.9% experienced personal burnout, 70.1% reported work-related burnout and 41.1% had client-related burnout. The results indicate that the midwives reported moderate to extreme levels of depression (16.3%), anxiety (28.4%) and stress (13.9%) symptoms.

"I'm not doing what I should be doing as a midwife": An ethnographic exploration of central fetal monitoring and perceptions of clinical safety.

BACKGROUND: Central fetal monitoring systems transmit cardiotocograph data to a central site in a maternity service. Despite a paucity of evidence of safety, the installation of central fetal monitoring systems is common. AIM: This qualitative research sought to explore whether, and how, clinicians modified their clinical safety related behaviours following the introduction of a central monitoring system. METHODS: An Institutional Ethnographic enquiry was conducted at an Australian hospital where a central fetal monitoring system had been installed in 2016. Informants (n=50) were midwifery and obstetric staff. Data collection consisted of interviews and observations that were analysed to understand whether and how clinicians modified their clinical safety related behaviours. FINDINGS: The introduction of the central monitoring system was associated with clinical decision making without complete clinical information. Midwives' work was disrupted. Higher levels of anxiety were described for midwives and birthing women. Midwives reported higher rates of intervention in response to the visibility of the cardiotocograph at the central monitoring station. Midwives described a shift in focus away from the birthing woman towards documenting in the central monitoring system. DISCUSSION: The introduction of central fetal monitoring prompted new behaviours among midwifery and obstetric staff that may potentially undermine clinical safety. CONCLUSION: This research raises concerns that central fetal monitoring systems may not promote safe intrapartum care. We argue that research examining the safety of central fetal monitoring systems is required.

"My whole room went into chaos because of that thing in the corner": Unintended consequences of a central fetal monitoring system.

OBJECTIVE: Technologies for fetal heart rate monitoring have been widely introduced despite evidence of no improvement in perinatal outcomes. A significant body of research has raised concerns that healthcare information technologies can have unintended consequences. We sought to describe an unintended consequence of central fetal monitoring technology. DESIGN: The research was conducted as an Institutional Ethnography. Data generated from interviews, focus groups, and observations were analysed to generate an account of midwives' experiences with the central fetal monitoring system. SETTING: The birthing unit of one Australian maternity service with a central fetal monitoring system. INFORMANTS: 34 midwives and midwifery students who worked with the central fetal monitoring system. FINDINGS: Midwives described a disruptive social event they named being K2ed. Clinicians responded to perceived cardiotocograph abnormalities by entering the birth room despite the midwife not having requested assistance. Being K2ed disrupted midwives' clinical work and generated anxiety. Clinical communication was undermined, and midwives altered their clinical practice. Midwives performed additional documentation work to attempt to avoid being K2ed. KEY CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report of an unintended consequence relating to central fetal monitoring, demonstrating how central fetal monitoring technology potentially undermines safety by impacting on clinical and relational processes and outcomes in maternity care. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Current evidence does not support implementation or ongoing use of central fetal monitoring systems. Further research is needed to inform scaling down central fetal monitoring systems in a safe and supported way.

The future of the Australian midwifery workforce - impacts of ageing and workforce exit on the number of registered midwives.

PROBLEM: Ensuring an adequate supply of the midwife workforce will be essential to meet the future demands for maternity care within Australia. BACKGROUND: Aim: To project the overall number of midwives registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia and the timing of their retirement to 2043 based upon the ageing of the population. METHODS: Using data on the number of registered midwives released by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia we calculated the five-year cumulative attrition rate of each five-year age group. This attrition rate was then utilized to estimate the number of midwives registered in each five-year time period from 2018 to 2043. We then estimated the number of midwives that would be registered after also accounting for stated retirement intentions. FINDINGS: Between 2018 and 2023 the overall number of registered midwives will decline from 28,087 to 26,642. After this time there is expected to be growth in the total number, reaching 28,392 in 2028 and 55,747 in 2043. If midwives did relinquish their registration at a rate indicated in previous workforce satisfaction surveys, the overall number of registered midwives would decline to 19,422 in 2023, and remain below 2018 levels until 2038. DISCUSSION: Due to the age distribution of the current registered midwifery workforce the imminent retirement of a large proportion of the workforce will see a decline in the number of registered midwives in the coming years. Additional retirement due to workforce dis-satisfaction may exacerbate this shortfall.

Identifying the priorities for midwifery education across Australia and New Zealand: A Delphi study.

PROBLEM: In countries where education programmes are assessed as meeting international standards there is limited knowledge about the challenges facing midwifery education. BACKGROUND/AIM: The positive impact of quality midwifery education on maternal and newborn health is acknowledged by the World Health Organisation. However, there is limited research identifying the issues faced in providing quality midwifery education. The aim of this study was to identify the challenges and determine priority projects to strengthen midwifery education across Australia and New Zealand. METHODS: A two-round Delphi study with experts in midwifery education was undertaken. FINDINGS: In round one, 85 participants identified an initial 366 issues for midwifery education. Through thematic content analysis these were categorised into 89 statements reflecting five major themes: In round two, 105 midwifery experts from Australia n=86 (79%) and New Zealand n=23 (21%) rated the 89 statements in order of priority. Across the combined data (Australia and New Zealand) a total of 19 statements gained consensus of ≥80%. DISCUSSION: Five priority themes were identified including; (1) enabling success of First Peoples/Maori midwifery students; (2) increasing the visibility and influence of midwifery within regulation, accreditation and university governance; (3) determining how best to deliver the clinical practicum component of programmes; (4) reviewing midwifery programmes to enhance design, content and delivery; and (5) ongoing education and support for the midwifery workforce. CONCLUSION: In Australia and New Zealand, it is imperative that collaborative work is undertaken to design and action identified projects addressing these priorities.

The impact of pre-registration education on the motivation and preparation of midwifery students to work in continuity of midwifery care: An integrative review.

Access to continuity of midwifery care (CoMC) models in Australia is increasing but the capacity of the emerging midwifery workforce to provide this care remains largely unknown. The aim of this integrative literature review is to discover how well pre-registration midwifery education prepares and motivates Australian midwifery students to work in CoMC models when they enter practice. Following title review of 432 papers, removal of duplicates and review against the inclusion and exclusion criteria, nine papers were included for review. The results show that access to CoMC is a crucial component of midwifery education, equipping students with knowledge, skills, confidence and motivation to work in this way upon graduation. Existing methods of program delivery and institutional structures often present students with challenges that detract from the value of their CoMC experiences. A focus on CoMC placement - particularly with a continuity of midwifery mentor - may motivate graduates to work in this model of care. This strategy is recommended to better align Australian midwifery education with maternity care reform.

Exploring the needs and experiences of educators in facilitating use of the Bass Model of Holistic Reflection.

Health professionals are required to reflect on practice to evaluate and improve care in rapidly changing health care environments. This study explored the professional development needs of educators facilitating development of reflective capacity in midwifery students using the Bass Model of Holistic Reflection. Thirteen midwifery academics at two Australian universities took part in the study conducted in three phases. Phase 1 identified the learning needs of educators described as 'understanding the building blocks of reflection'; 'practical application of the model, and 'assessment of reflective capacity'. Phase 2 involved an Intervention including development of a reflective practice tool kit and delivery of a two-day workshop. Phase 3 evaluated the experience of educators using the resources and four themes emerged: 1) 'Educators value a reflective practice toolkit'; 2) 'A toolkit builds confidence and trust in the model through promotion of deep personal reflection'; 3) 'Effective use of the model is key to achieving consistency in application by educators; and 4) 'Deeper understanding of the model promotes transformation of practice'. This paper confirms the importance of developing resources for educators, that support reflective pedagogy when implementing models of reflection into curricula.

Midwifery students' experiences and expectations of using a model of holistic reflection.

BACKGROUND: Reflective practice is a core professional competency and the hallmark of an autonomous, evidence-based midwife practitioner committed to lifelong learning. Despite this professional imperative little is currently known about how the development of reflective capacity is facilitated with midwifery students. AIM: This study aimed to determine (1) the extent to which a holistic, structured model of reflection develops reflective capacity in midwifery students; and (2) their perceptions of learning and teaching strategies that build reflective capacity. DESIGN: A qualitative cross-sectional design involving focus groups and thematic analysis. PARTICIPANTS: The Bass Model of Holistic Reflection was introduced to promote development of reflective capacity in midwifery students enrolled in entry to practice programs in two Australian universities. Students were provided with guidance on how to apply the model to their reflections. After using the model for at least one trimester twenty-seven (27) participants volunteered to participate in focus groups. FINDINGS: Four themes emerged 'safe space within a circle of trust', 'deep personal learning', 'consistency of application by skilled facilitators', and 'integration and connection'. KEY CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Use of a holistic model combined with integrative and structured reflective activities supports the scaffolded and developmental nature of reflection. Alignment of the model with a woman centred midwifery philosophy generates midwifery knowledge and reflects student expectations of their role as aspiring midwives. Midwives' attitudes regarding reflection influences students' perceptions of value. Quality of feedback provided by educators affects levels of student motivation and engagement with reflection.