Surviving and Thriving in Midwifery

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 contents

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 Sally's 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 Karen's Final Reflections) 158 
Recommended Resources and Links to Organisations 160 
Appendix 163 
List of Values 163 
References 164 
Index 176

About the author

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.

Summary

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.

Product details

• Authors: Karen Maher, Sally Pezaro, Sally (Coventry University Pezaro, Sally Maher Pezaro
• Assisted by: Karen Maher (Editor), Sally Pezaro (Editor)
• Publisher: Wiley, John and Sons Ltd
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 04.04.2024
• EAN: 9781119881001
• ISBN: 978-1-119-88100-1
• No. of pages: 208
• Subjects: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Medicine > General; Krankenpflege, Hebamme, Säuglingspflege, Nursing, hebammenpraxis, Midwifery, Nursing fundamentals and skills, Women's Health Nursing, Krankenpflege i. d. Frauenheilkunde, Neonatal Nursing