A practical, evidence-based approach to psychological and professional well-being for midwives
Midwifery is an essential profession with a life-saving role in perinatal care. However, studies show that midwives experience remarkably high levels of work-related psychological distress, leading to equally high levels of attrition from the profession. If these issues are not addressed, the loss of qualified midwives may seriously impact the profession's ability to fight perinatal and infant mortality worldwide.
Surviving and Thriving in Midwifery offers a practical, evidence-based guide for midwives to achieve social, psychological, and professional success. Drawing upon extensive research as well as the personal experiences of midwives, the book invites readers to respond to a range of workplace challenges and develop robust strategies for coping, conflict resolution, and more. Thoroughly grounded in occupational psychology, it is a vital tool for any midwife looking to thrive in this critical profession.
Surviving and Thriving in Midwifery readers will also find:
- A global perspective on midwifery across the life course
- The author's personal journey through their own experience of losing their fitness to practice through ill health, before regaining it and achieving lasting success
- Detailed strategies for building psychological safety in midwifery teams, setting boundaries, and many more
Surviving and Thriving in Midwifery is ideal for aspiring, student, and qualified midwives worldwide.
List of Contributors viii
Author Contact Details and Biographies ix
Foreword xi
Preface xiii
Acknowledgements xv
List of Figures xvi
List of Tables xvii
Chapter 1 Introduction 1
Intro to
Chapter 1
Circumstances, which No Man can Be a Judge of: Sarah Stone and the
Improvement of Midwifery 2
Contemporary Midwifery 5
What to Expect from this Book 10
Chapter 2 Unearthing Your Identity as a Midwife 12
Intro to
Chapter 12
Personal Identity, Values and Vision 12
Navigating Your Professional Journey 15
Finding Your Chosen Community 19
Self-Awareness and Personal Development 21
Tools for Self-Awareness and Personal Development 22
In Conversation(Karen and Sally Exploring Sallys Personal Journey Through
Constructing Her Identity) 26
Chapter 3 Surviving and Thriving the Day to Day 28
Intro to
Chapter 28
Managing Demands and Protecting Resources 29
Maintaining Compassion 32
Optimising Shift Work 35
Midwifing Outside the System 38
In Conversation (Sally and Karen Explore Personal Thoughts and Experiences
on Maintenance of Occupational Health) 43
Chapter 4 Responding to Workplace Challenges 50
Intro to
Chapter 50
Coping with Stressors 51
Problematic Substance Use 54
Tools for Adaptive Coping 62
Problem-Solving and Decision-Making 66
In Conversation (Sally and Karen Explore Personal Experiences of Responding
to Workplace Challenges) 68
Chapter 5 Thriving in Interpersonal Relationships at Work 72
Intro to
Chapter 72
Enabling Your Team to Thrive 72
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion 73
Psychological Safety and Trust 75
Successful Conflict Resolution 77
Managing and Challenging Workplace Incivility 80
In Conversation (Sally and Karen Explore Personal Thoughts on Interpersonal
Relations at Work) 85
Chapter 6 Surviving When Things Go Wrong 89
Intro to
Chapter 89
Surviving Traumatic Incidents 90
Developing Personal Insight and Forgiveness 94
Escalating Concerns 97
Maximising Opportunities for Learning 102
In Conversation (Karen and Sally Explore Personal Insight into What Happens
When Things Go Wrong) 105
Chapter 7 Thriving in Evidence-based Practice and Academia 110
Intro to
Chapter 110
Typical Expectations and Tips for Career Advancement 111
Top 10 Tips for Academic Success 114
Writing for Publication 117
Using Evidence to Inform Practice 124
In Conversation(Karen and Sally Share Insight from Their Academic Career
Journey) 130
Chapter 8 Leading with Impact 132
Intro to
Chapter 132
What is a Leader? 132
What Kind of Leader Will You Be? 133
We are All Leaders 136
Leading with Compassion 146
Lifting Others up as You Climb 148
In Conversation(Sally and Karen Explore Personal Insights on Leadership)
149
Chapter 9 Turning Visions into Practice 152
Intro to
Chapter 152
Goal Setting 152
Be the Change You Want to See 156
In Conversation (Sally and Karens Final Reflections) 158
Recommended Resources and Links to Organisations 160
Appendix 163
List of Values 163
References 164
Index 176
Dr Sally Pezaro is an award winning Fellow of the Royal College of Midwives, a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, editorial board and consortium member and an academic researcher at Coventry University, UK.
Dr Karen Maher is a Chartered Psychologist and Academic in Organisational Psychology at Aston Business School, Aston University, UK. She is also a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and former Chair of the Organisational Psychology Special Interest Group for the British Academy of Management.
