Exploring and enhancing midwives’ professional
autonomy: Embarking on a journey of empowerment for
midwives globally

Vermeulen, Joeri; Buyl, Ronald; Fobelets, Maaike

doi:10.18332/ejm/172426

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 12 publications

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“…This should be a priority to facilitate the migration of midwives to areas with limited access to professional care, which will make it possible to bridge gaps and inequalities in access to midwifery care. Increasing the share of professional midwifery in the care of a woman at every stage of her life and of a newborn is crucial for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 2030 WHO guidelines, and will allow the use of healthcare resources in an economic, ergonomic and holistic way 2 , 23 , 24 . It is advisable for the healthcare system in Poland to use the above guidelines when planning changes in midwifery education, practice, and subsequent scientific research.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Knowledge of women in Poland on the profession and competences of a midwife

Wyrębek,

Klimanek,

Misztal

et al. 2024

Eur J Midwifery

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INTRODUCTION The profession of a midwife, despite its long tradition in Poland, is still not widely known in the society. Both in terms of the competencies and roles, it is often confused with other medical professions such as nurses or gynecologists. In this study, we assessed the knowledge of women in Poland on the profession of a midwife. The aim of the research project was to obtain detailed data on the knowledge of women regarding the specific professional competencies of midwives. METHODS The study used the method of a cross-sectional survey. A survey of 1134 adult Polish women was conducted. A 20-item questionnaire was developed with fourteen of the questions being based on the midwife’s professional competencies. The study was conducted in 2019 and the questionnaire was distributed through various social groups for Polish women. RESULTS Knowledge about the professional competencies of midwives increases proportionally to the level of the education of the respondents, their age and the scope of cooperation with midwives. The most well-known forms of midwifery were those related to lactation education (78.7%) and puerperal care (78.9%). The lowest rates, among other results, were prescribing drugs (23.1%) and collecting samples for cervical cytology (24.4%). CONCLUSIONS The profession of a midwife in Poland is insufficiently popularized. Competencies shared with doctors require more dissemination. It is worth paying particular attention to the promotion of the profession in younger age groups, so that women can use their knowledge at subsequent stages of their lives.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Knowledge of women in Poland on the profession and competences of a midwife

Wyrębek,

Klimanek,

Misztal

et al. 2024

Eur J Midwifery

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Getting midwives back to hospitals: A discrete choice experiment

Rheindorf,

Hagist,

Schlereth

et al. 2024

International Journal of Nursing Studies

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Work Situation of Midwives in Spain: Perception of Autonomy and Intention to Leave the Profession: A Cross-Sectional Study

Iglesias-Casás,

Vila-Candel,

Mena-Tudela

et al. 2024

Healthcare

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Background: Developed countries report specific issues regarding the declining midwifery workforce, and their shortage could have serious consequences for women’s sexual and reproductive health. The aim was to understand the perception of autonomy among midwives working in Spain, as well as factors related to their intention to leave the profession and their work environment. Method: A descriptive and cross-sectional study using an online questionnaire. Population: midwives working in Spain in any field (clinical, research, teaching, or management). Results: A sample of 1060 midwives was obtained. Of these, 53.7% (n = 569) feel autonomous in their work, 92.4% (n = 978) perceive that their profession frequently suffers from external interference, 46.6% (n = 494) have experienced sexist behaviors at work, and 53% (n = 561) have considered leaving the profession in the last year. Midwives with less than 10 years of experience (57.7%), those aged 31–45 years (59.8%), those with temporary contracts (38.3%), and those working in hospital care (71.9%) show a higher rate of considering leaving the profession (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Considering the current midwifery workforce crisis in Spain, it seems urgent to improve the working conditions of midwives to ensure the continuity and quality of women’s sexual and reproductive healthcare.

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Exploring and enhancing midwives’ professional autonomy: Embarking on a journey of empowerment for midwives globally

Cited by 3 publications

References 12 publications

Knowledge of women in Poland on the profession and competences of a midwife

Knowledge of women in Poland on the profession and competences of a midwife

Getting midwives back to hospitals: A discrete choice experiment

Work Situation of Midwives in Spain: Perception of Autonomy and Intention to Leave the Profession: A Cross-Sectional Study

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