Examining the occupational stress experiences of midwives: A mixed-methods stress audit

Anchors, Zoe

Abstract

UK midwives report high levels of workplace stress and nearly 70% are considering leaving the profession (Hunter et al., 2019). Following institutional ethical approval, a concurrent mixed-methods stress audit was conducted to better understand the stressors encountered by midwives within an NHS Trust, their responses to them, and their impact. Seventy-one midwives (Mage = 39.47; SD = 10.58) completed an online questionnaire which assessed stressors (demands, control, manager support, peer support, relationships, role, and change), stress appraisals, coping strategies, and key outcomes (i.e., health, wellbeing, performance, and intention to leave). Additionally, 10 midwives participated in semi-structured interviews, and seven midwives completed two focus groups, to explore their occupational stress experiences. Hierarchical regression analyses on the quantitative data revealed that greater peer support and better relationships predicted lower symptoms of depression. Furthermore, fewer role-related demands and challenge appraisals predicted fewer anxiety symptoms. Finally, greater control and fewer role-related demands predicted higher performance, whereas greater control, better manager support, fewer change-related demands and challenge appraisals predicted less intention to leave. Thematic analysis of the qualitative data generated lower- and higher-order themes which were organised into five dimensions: workplace stressors; appraisal techniques; coping strategies; feelings and emotions; and impact on health and job performance. In line with a concurrent, mixed-methods design, following separate data analysis of the quantitative and qualitative data, areas of convergence, divergence, or explanation were then identified between the data sets. Overall, this stress audit offers significant insight into the stressors and responses (e.g., appraisals, coping strategies) that predict midwives’ mental health, performance, and intentions to leave, and provides explanations for these relationships. Practical recommendations are forwarded for stakeholders operating at multiple levels (e.g., midwife, manager, trust, policy) to better support midwives with issues of workplace stress, health, and well-being.

• Presentation Conference Type: Conference Paper (unpublished)
• Conference Name: Wales and South West England Maternity and Midwifery Festival
• Start Date: Sep 13, 2022
• Deposit Date: Mar 11, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 12, 2024
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/11793079