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Methods for Alleviating Stress and Increasing Resilience in the Midwifery Community: A Scoping Review of the Literature
Author(s) -
Wright Erin M.,
Matthai Maude Theo,
Warren Nicole
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of midwifery and women's health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.543
H-Index - 62
eISSN - 1542-2011
pISSN - 1526-9523
DOI - 10.1111/jmwh.12651
Subject(s) - cinahl , psychological intervention , psycinfo , mindfulness , modalities , medicine , psychological resilience , nursing , coping (psychology) , psychology , population , workforce , medline , clinical psychology , environmental health , social psychology , political science , social science , sociology , law
Work‐related stress and exposure to traumatic birth have deleterious impacts on midwifery practice, the midwife's physiologic well‐being, and the midwifery workforce. This is a global phenomenon, and the specific sources of this stress vary dependent on practice setting. This scoping review aims to determine which, if any, modalities help to reduce stress and increase resilience among a population of midwives. Methods A scoping review of the literature published between January 2011 and September 2016 using PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, PsycINFO, and Cochrane databases was performed. Of the initial 796 reviewed records, 6 met inclusion criteria. Results Three of the 6 included studies were quantitative in nature, 2 were qualitative, and one used mixed methods. Countries where studies were conducted include Uganda, Iran, the United Kingdom, Israel, and Australia. Three of the studies used interventions for stress reduction and increased coping. Two of these 3 used a mindfulness‐based stress reduction program resulting in improved stress levels and coping skills. In each study, midwives express a desire for work‐based programs and support from colleagues and employers for increasing coping abilities. These studies focused on stress reduction and/or increasing resilience. Discussion While modalities such as mindfulness‐based stress reduction show promise, further studies with a cohort of midwives should be conducted. These studies should include interventions aimed at addressing the needs of midwives to improve psychological outcomes related to employment‐related stress on a global scale and specific to each health care context.