ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: to explore how contextual conditions influence midwives' relational competencies, ability and confidence to undertake psychosocial assessment of pregnant women and their partners during the first antenatal consultation that identifies expectant parents in vulnerable positions. DESIGN: a realist evaluation carried out through three phases: 1) development 2) testing and 3) refinement of programme theories. Data was generated through realist interviews and observations. SETTING: nine community-based and hospital-based midwife clinics in the North Region of Denmark. INTERVENTION: a dialogue-based psychosocial assessment programme in the the North Region of Denmark was evaluated. PARTICIPANTS AND DATA: 15 midwives were interviewed and 16 observations of midwives undertaking psychosocial assessment during the first antenatal consultation were conducted. FINDINGS: contextual conditions at multiple levels which supported midwives' relational competencies, autonomy and the power of peer reflection-and thus facilitation of a woman-centred approach and trust-were identified, i.e., being experienced, having interest, organisational prioritisation of peer reflection and flexibility. Where midwives lacked experience, competency development regarding psychosocial assessment, opportunities for peer reflection and autonomy to individualise care for expectant parents in vulnerable positions, the approach to assessment tended to become institution-centred which caused a distant dialogue and instrumental assessment which potentially harmed the midwife-woman/couple relationship. CONCLUSION: midwives' ability and confidence to undertake psychosocial assessment were affected by whether individual and organisational contextual conditions empowered them to assess and care for expectant parents within a philosophy of woman-centred care. Accordingly, development of trustful midwife-woman/couple relationships - which is essential for disclosure - was achievable. These conditions become fundamental for securing quality of antenatal care for expectant parents in vulnerable positions.
Subject(s)
Midwifery , Nurse Midwives , Pregnancy , Female , Humans , Trust , Prenatal Care , Pregnant Women , Denmark , Qualitative Research , Nurse Midwives/psychologyABSTRACT
Interprofessional collaboration and trusting parent-professional relationships can be key to delivering interprofessional care to meet the needs of expectant and new parents in vulnerable positions. This, however, presents challenges. This study aimed to gain deeper understanding of how and under what circumstances trusting parent-professional relationships develop and work within interprofessional team-based care for this group, from the professionals' perspectives. Realist evaluation was undertaken based on 14 semi-structured, realist interviews with midwives and health visitors and 11 observations. Multiple interrelated mechanisms were identified including patient/family-centered care, timely and relevant interprofessional involvement in care, gentle interprofessional bridging, transparency of intervention roles and purposes, and relational continuity. Good interprofessional collaboration was a primary condition for these mechanisms. Developed, trusting relationships supported parents' engagements with interprofessional care and constituted a supportive safety net that promoted parenting skills and coping abilities. We identified harmful mechanisms: distanced encounters, uncertainty of interprofessional involvement, and compromising the safe space. These mechanisms caused distrust and disengagement. Ensuring trusting parent-professional relationships within interprofessional team-based care demands each professional involved competently engages in relational work and interprofessional collaboration. Uncontrollability is thus influenced regarding interpersonal connection and potentially gives an explanation when trust-building efforts fail.
