Dear Carolyn,
I haven't got a tool. But I have just finished a study of Why
Midwives Stay in midwifery in England, to be published in
September. Factors that were important there are relationships,
with women but also with colleagues and managers. Almost all
derived job satisfaction from relationships with women, most from
relationships with colleagues with a similar philosopy of midwifery
and a minority from relationships with management. But where
relationships with management were supportive and managers
listened, this was very important to midwives. Autonomy is
massively important, as is work/life balance. Work in the
community seems to contain more intrinsic rewards than work in
hospital: the obvious named one is home birth but continuity is
important too. It would be really interesting to tease out what is
place related and what is related to autonomy and relationships,
sounds like you may have the opportunity to do that.
"Finding ones niche" was important and niches vary as do
individuals, though there seem to be more potential for appropriate
niches in the community. This seems to be more important than
opportunities for career progression, though in retrospect I wish we
had asked about the latter.
We are about to start a study of midwives in a birth centre that is
about to close. Perhaps we could exchange ideas as the 2 studies
go on.
Best Wishes,
Mavis
************************************************************
Mavis Kirkham, Professor of Midwifery
Women's Informed Childbearing and Health Research Group
School of Nursing and Midwifery
University of Sheffield
Bartolome House, Winter Street, Sheffield, UK S3 7ND
Tel: +44 (0)114 222 9707
Fax: +44 (0)114 222 9712
http://www.shef.ac.uk/uni/projects/wich
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