Being there and reconnecting: Midwives' perceptions of the impact of Mindfulness training on their practice.

Louise Hunter; Sarah Snow; Sian Warriner

doi:10.1111/jocn.14169

Being there and reconnecting: Midwives' perceptions of the impact of Mindfulness training on their practice.

Louise Hunter, Sarah Snow, Sian Warriner

Journal of Clinical Nursing March 2018 DOI: 10.1111/jocn.14169 (opens in new tab)

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AI-extracted from the abstract

Characteristics	Qualitative study Peer reviewed
Sample size	9
Population	Midwives working in a large maternity Trust in the United Kingdom
Duration	8-week course
Topics	Meditation
Keywords	Burnout Midwives Stress Workplace relationships
Key findings	Midwives reported that an eight-week mindfulness course increased their sense of control and led them to reconnect with and reframe relationships with colleagues and the women in their care. The authors argue that mindfulness may be an effective way to address the high levels of stress, role dissatisfaction, and workplace bullying found in midwifery, and that investing in midwifery staff well-being may improve both job satisfaction and women's experiences of care.

Abstract

To ascertain how midwives perceived attending a mindfulness course impacted on their professional practice, particularly in regard to any stress they experienced at work. A qualitative study using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine midwives. A large maternity Trust in the United Kingdom. An eight-week mindfulness course, adapted from mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Four superordinate themes were identified as follows: "being challenged and committing," "containing the self," "reconnecting" and "moving forward with confidence." Focusing on the present moment enabled participants better to identify the boundary between self and other. This led to an increased sense of control and a reconnection with and reframing of relationships with colleagues and the women in their care. Mindfulness may provide an effective way to address the high levels of stress, role dissatisfaction and workplace bullying found in midwifery, by improving both the working environment and patient care. The pivotal role of positive workplace relationships in this process resonates with other nursing research and with contemporary philosophical thought. This study adds to a body of evidence which suggests investing in the well-being of midwifery staff improves both job satisfaction and women's experiences of care.

Comparable studies

Other qualitative studies on meditation, most cited first.

Study	Year	Design	Participants
The varieties of contemplative experience: A mixed-methods study of meditation-related challenges in Western Buddhists Western Buddhist meditation practitioners and experts in Theravāda, Zen, and Tibetan...	2017	Qualitative study with mixed-methods
The Effects of Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction on Nurse Stress and Burnout Nurses in a hospital system	2004	Implementation study with mixed methods
An exploratory mixed methods study of the acceptability and effectiveness of mindfulness -based cognitive therapy for patients with active depression and anxiety in primary care Primary care patients with recurrent depression or recurrent depression and anxiety	2006	Exploratory mixed methods study	n = 13
A qualitative study of mindfulness‐based cognitive therapy for depression Participants in mindfulness-based cognitive therapy in a mental-health context	2001	Qualitative study	n = 7
Effortless awareness: using real time neurofeedback to investigate correlates of posterior cingulate cortex activity in meditators' self-report Meditators	2013	Qualitative study using grounded theory methodology

Citations in the library

Cited by 4

Cites 1

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Stress Management in Healthy People: A Review and Meta-Analysis The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine May 1, 2009