Midwifery is a mirror: Reflective observation turns our experience into insight

Shurouq Hawamdeh

doi:10.69725/imchp.v1i1.44

Authors

Shurouq Hawamdeh Institute of Heaalth Care Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Sweden

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.69725/imchp.v1i1.44

Keywords:

Midwives, skills, reflective observation, Midwifery practice, Patient Outcomes, Professionalism, Holistic care

Abstract

To probe the efficacy of reflective observation as a conduit for enhancing midwifery practices and fostering improved patient care. This research adopts a qualitative inquiry methodology, drawing insights from personal experiences and engagements within Swedish birthing units. Leveraging reflective observation and dialogues with midwives representing diverse backgrounds, the study seeks to glean profound insights into the challenges and opportunities entailed in integrating reflective practices into midwifery care. The study's findings underscore the pivotal role of reflective observation in nurturing a culture of safety, professionalism, and holistic care within midwifery practice. By nurturing the foundational pillars of experience, observation, reflection, and responsiveness, midwives are empowered to cultivate an environment conducive to safe practice and harmonious patient interactions. A salient contribution of this study lies in its exploration of the transformative potential inherent in reflective observation within midwifery care. By delineating the inherent challenges and opportunities, the research illuminates novel pathways for professional growth and skill enhancement among midwives. The implications of this research transcend the confines of midwifery practice, permeating broader societal contexts. By fostering a culture of reflective practice, midwives stand poised to optimize patient outcomes and contribute to the overall well-being of communities. The cultivation of reflective observation within midwifery holds the promise of a ripple effect, extending from individual practitioners to healthcare administrators, community stakeholders, and ultimately, global society.

Author Biography

Shurouq Hawamdeh, Institute of Heaalth Care Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Sweden

Dr. Shurouq Hawamdeh
Institute of Health Care Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Sweden

References

A, Susan Calvert. 2015. “Working towards Being Ready A Theory of How Practising Midwives Maintain Their Ongoing Competence to Practise Their Profession Susan Calvert Auckland University of Technology in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Health Sci.”

Aein, Fereshteh. 2018. “Midwifery Students’ Experiences of Problem Solving Based Interprofessional Learning: A Qualitative Study.” Women and Birth 31(6):e374–79. doi: 10.1016/j.wombi.2018.02.006. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wombi.2018.02.006

Alexander, Catherine R., and Fiona Bogossian. 2018. “Midwives and Clinical Investigation: A Review of the Literature.” Women and Birth 31(6):442–52. doi: 10.1016/j.wombi.2018.02.003. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wombi.2018.02.003

Bass, Janice, Mary Sidebotham, Debra Creedy, and Linda Sweet. 2020. “Midwifery Students’ Experiences and Expectations of Using a Model of Holistic Reflection.” Women and Birth 33(4):383–92. doi: 10.1016/j.wombi.2019.06.020. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wombi.2019.06.020

Becker, Jan, Chase Becker, Florin Oprescu, Chiung-Jung (Jo) Wu, James Moir, Meshak Shimwela, and Marion Gray. 2022. “Silent Voices of the Midwives: Factors That Influence Midwives’ Achievement of Successful Neonatal Resuscitation in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Narrative Inquiry.” BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth 22(1):39. doi: 10.1186/s12884-021-04339-7. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-021-04339-7

Bradfield, Zoe, Yvonne Hauck, Ravani Duggan, and Michelle Kelly. 2019. “Midwives’ Perceptions of Being ‘with Woman’: A Phenomenological Study.” BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth 19(1):363. doi: 10.1186/s12884-019-2548-4. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-019-2548-4

Brown, Angela E., Philippa F. Middleton, Jennifer A. Fereday, and Jan I. Pincombe. 2016. “Cultural Safety and Midwifery Care for Aboriginal Women – A Phenomenological Study.” Women and Birth 29(2):196–202. doi: 10.1016/j.wombi.2015.10.013. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wombi.2015.10.013

Capper, Tanya S., Moira Williamson, and Rachelle Chee. 2023. “How Is Cultural Safety Understood and Translated into Midwifery Practice? A Scoping Review and Thematic Analysis.” Nurse Education in Practice 66:103507. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nepr.2022.103507. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nepr.2022.103507

Carter, Amanda G. 2017. “Measuring Critical Thinking in Midwifery Students.” (October).

Carter, Amanda G., Debra K. Creedy, and Mary Sidebotham. 2018. “Critical Thinking in Midwifery Practice: A Conceptual Model.” Nurse Education in Practice 33:114–20. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nepr.2018.09.006. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nepr.2018.09.006

Goemaes, Régine, Jill Shawe, Dimitri Beeckman, Elsie Decoene, Sofie Verhaeghe, and Ann Van Hecke. 2018. “Factors Influencing the Implementation of Advanced Midwife Practitioners in Healthcare Settings: A Qualitative Study.” Midwifery 66:88–96. doi: 10.1016/j.midw.2018.08.002. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2018.08.002

Graham, Margaret M. 2022. “Navigating Professional and Personal Knowing Through Reflective Storytelling Amidst Covid-19.” Journal of Holistic Nursing 40(4):372–82. doi: 10.1177/08980101211072289. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/08980101211072289

Hainsworth, Nicole, Allison Cummins, Elizabeth Newnham, and Maralyn Foureur. 2023. “Learning through Relationships: The Transformative Learning Experience of Midwifery Continuity of Care for Students: A Qualitative Study.” Women and Birth 36(4):385–92. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wombi.2022.12.006. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wombi.2022.12.006

Hansson, Malin, Ingela Lundgren, Gunnel Hensing, Anna Dencker, Monica Eriksson, and Ing-marie Carlsson. 2021. “Professional Courage to Create a Pathway within Midwives ’ Fields of Work : A Grounded Theory Study.” 9:1–13. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-021-06311-9

Karltun, Anette, Johan M. Sanne, Karina Aase, Janet E. Anderson, Alexandra Fernandes, Naomi J. Fulop, Par J. Höglund, and Boel Andersson-Gare. 2020. “Knowledge Management Infrastructure to Support Quality Improvement: A Qualitative Study of Maternity Services in Four European Hospitals.” Health Policy 124(2):205–15. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthpol.2019.11.005. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthpol.2019.11.005

De Leo, Annemarie, Sara Bayes, Janice Butt, Dianne Bloxsome, and Sadie Geraghty. 2021. “Midwifery Leaders’ Views on the Factors Considered Crucial to Implementing Evidence-Based Practice in Clinical Areas.” Women and Birth 34(1):22–29. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wombi.2020.08.013. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wombi.2020.08.013

Masso guijarro, Ester, and Rosana Triviño-caballero. 2022. “No Title.” 1–20.

McFarland, Ann Kristienne. 2017. “They Inadvertently Forgot the Midwives: Autoethnography of a Midwife in the Early 21st Century.” edited by L. Heinemann, D. Travers-Gustafson, and A. Roedlach., Laura Heinemann, Omaha, Nebraska.

McKellar, Lois, Kristen Graham, Athena Sheehan, Julie-Anne Fleet, Mary Sidebotham, and Linda Sweet. 2023. “Examining the Transformation of Midwifery Education in Australia to Inform Future Directions: An Integrative Review.” Women and Birth 36(2):155–66. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wombi.2022.11.010. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wombi.2022.11.010

O’Connor, Siobhan, Stephanie Kennedy, Yajing Wang, Amna Ali, Samantha Cooke, and Richard G. Booth. 2022. “Theories Informing Technology Enhanced Learning in Nursing and Midwifery Education: A Systematic Review and Typological Classification.” Nurse Education Today 118:105518. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2022.105518. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2022.105518

Prosen, Mirko. 2022. “A Systematic Integrative Literature Review of the Factors Influencing the Professionalization of Midwifery in the Last Decade (2009–2019).” Midwifery 106:103246. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2021.103246. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2021.103246

Reed, Rachel, Jennifer Rowe, and Margaret Barnes. 2016. “Midwifery Practice during Birth: Ritual Companionship.” Women and Birth 29(3):269–78. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wombi.2015.12.003. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wombi.2015.12.003

Rotstein, Emilia. 2022. PELVIC FLOOR DYSFUNCTION AFTER CHILDBIRTH - SYMPTOMS , DIAGNOSIS ,.

Sweet, Linda, Janice Bass, Mary Sidebotham, Jennifer Fenwick, and Kristen Graham. 2019. “Developing Reflective Capacities in Midwifery Students: Enhancing Learning through Reflective Writing.” Women and Birth 32(2):119–26. doi: 10.1016/j.wombi.2018.06.004. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wombi.2018.06.004

Swift, Emma Marie. 2019. Promoting Normal Birth amid Modern Technology : Opportunities and Challenges in Iceland.

Vedam, Saraswathi, Kathrin Stoll, Daphne N. McRae, Mo Korchinski, Raquel Velasquez, Jessie Wang, Sarah Partridge, Lorna McRae, Ruth Elwood Martin, and Ganga Jolicoeur. 2019. “Patient-Led Decision Making: Measuring Autonomy and Respect in Canadian Maternity Care.” Patient Education and Counseling 102(3):586–94. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2018.10.023. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2018.10.023

Vermeulen, Joeri, Eva Swinnen, Florence D’haenens, Ronald Buyl, and Katrien Beeckman. 2016. “Women’s Preferences and Knowledge about the Legal Competences of Midwives in Brussels, Belgium. A Descriptive Observational Study.” Midwifery 40:177–86. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2016.07.002. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2016.07.002

Vernon, Rachael, Mary Chiarella, and Elaine Papps. 2018. “Investigating the Relationship Between Continuing Competence and Insight in Nursing and Midwifery Practice.” Journal of Nursing Regulation 9(3):36–52. doi: 10.1016/S2155-8256(18)30152-2. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S2155-8256(18)30152-2

Wiseman, O., L. Emmett, G. Hickford, M. Knight, J. Lazar, C. Yuill, and C. McCourt. 2022. “The Challenges and Opportunities for Implementing Group Antenatal Care (‘Pregnancy Circles’) as Part of Standard NHS Maternity Care: A Co-Designed Qualitative Study.” Midwifery 109:103333. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2022.103333. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2022.103333