Interventions to improve wellbeing among obstetricians and midwives at Cork University Maternity Hospital

Abstract

Background There is an increasing body of research demonstrating stress, burnout, and compassion fatigue among those working in obstetrics and gynaecology. The literature is lacking with respect to targeted interventions aimed at improving staff wellbeing. Aims To investigate whether an intervention which increases support for staff is feasible to implement and effective at improving staff wellbeing. Methods This study was conducted in a tertiary university teaching maternity hospital. All doctors in training (DITs) (N = 28) and midwives (N = 69) working in the delivery suite were invited to participate. Wellbeing was assessed by measuring burnout, compassion fatigue, and perceived stress using validated questionnaires. These were distributed pre-intervention and 6 months after implementation of the interventions. The support interventions consisted of posters promoting self-care, team bonding sessions, and end of shift meetings. Results Eighteen (64%) DITs and 22 (31%) midwives returned pre-intervention questionnaires. Thirteen (18%) midwives retuned post-intervention questionnaires, of which five midwives (7%) returned both the pre-intervention questionnaire and the postintervention questionnaire. Eighty-seven percent of participants were experiencing emotional exhaustion pre-intervention. There was a statistically significant decrease in the Professional Quality of Life burnout score from pre-intervention (M = 25.8) to postintervention (M = 21.4), p = 0.02. End of shift meetings were discontinued after 5 weeks due to low attendance. End of shift meetings provided an opportunity for support and debriefing; however, the timing of these sessions impaired their long-term feasibility. Conclusion DITs and midwives of this sample are experiencing high levels of burnout and compassion fatigue. End of shift meetings for midwives and team bonding sessions for DITs may positively impact on wellbeing, but in current format, they are not feasible for long-term implementation. The low level of participation highlights a challenge in implementing institution-wide support interventions.

Prevalence, Related Factors, and Levels of Burnout Among Midwives: A Systematic Review

“…After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 27 articles were selected for analysis (Table 2). 35–60 The study selection process is illustrated in Figure 1.…”

“…The total number of midwives in all of the studies was 5612. The oldest included study was published in 1986, 39 and the most recent were published in 2020 47,48,53 . All the studies included were cross‐sectional, excepting 2 longitudinal studies 56,58 and one cohort study 53 .…”

“…Hospital and community midwives who worked in a shift‐based roster reported higher levels of emotional exhaustion, with the United Kingdom, 59–61 Ireland, 53 Senegal, 56 and Spain 45 among the countries with the greatest prevalence of emotional exhaustion. Working in a continuity of care model was associated with significantly low odds of a high depersonalization compared with midwives working in a noncontinuity model of care 58 .…”

Adaptive capacity of midwives participating in pregnancy termination procedures: Polish experience

“…Currently, professional literature offers an increasing amount of information concerning the possibility of assistance and new forms of therapy in nurses and midwives exposed to occupational stress and burnout, such as end-of-shift meetings and team bonding sessions (O’Riordan et al, 2020). Considering the meaning-focused coping theory developed on the basis of the theory by Lazarus and Folkman it is difficult to provide a definite answer concerning the factors which affect the results of the present study.…”

Failure or progress?: The current state of the professionalisation of midwifery in Europe

“…Kirkham 30 highlights the contrasting philosophies of current health care, and their effect on midwives, their competencies and philosophy of care. Some others reported on the negative effects of current working conditions on midwives that might make them leave the profession [35][36][37] . These contrasts were also found in this study.…”