Midwifery students’ perceptions of the modifiable organisational factors that foster bullying behaviours whilst on clinical placement. A qualitative descriptive study

Bullying Behaviors and Stress (Acute and Perceived) among Undergraduate Nursing and Midwifery Students: The Moderating Role of Gender and Academic Majors

BACKGROUND

Nursing and midwifery professionals' well-being may be affected by various factors, including the bullying of new nurses.

PURPOSE

To analyze the relationship between bullying behaviors, perceived stress, and acute stress among undergraduate nursing and midwifery students in Saudi Arabia, as well as the moderating role of gender and academic majors in this relationship.

METHOD

A cross-sectional correlation design was used, and data were collected from 322 undergraduate nursing and midwifery students enrolled in four major nursing universities in Saudi Arabia.

RESULTS

Educational level, environment, and personal attacks had a significant negative impact on perceived and acute stress (social and non-social), while hostility toward academic achievement and direct negative behaviors had significant positive impacts on perceived and acute stress (social and non-social). Female nursing students reported a stronger impact of bullying behavior on their perceived stress, while male students reported a greater impact on social and non-social stress. Nursing students reported a stronger impact of bullying on perceived stress, while midwifery students reported a greater impact on social and non-social stress.

DISCUSSION

Nursing educators should raise awareness about the harmful effects of bullying and emphasize the importance of creating a safe, supportive learning environment.

Language used to describe the Australian midwifery workforce: A change opportunity to improve professional identity

BACKGROUND

Tertiary level midwifery educational pathways to achieve registration as a midwife vary in Australia, with a shift from the hospital to the university sector more than 20 years ago. These pathways are often referred to in the workforce setting to distinguish midwives with different academic backgrounds.

AIM

To discuss the genesis of midwifery education in the Australian setting and explore the impact of the language used to describe the educational backgrounds on the professional identity of midwives.

DISCUSSION

Strong tertiary and regulatory governance exists to support the robust development of midwifery educational programmes and to ensure a high-quality, woman-centred workforce. Once registered, all midwives have the same skill set to provide care to women and families. However, separatist language is often used to describe midwives according to their educational background which has a propensity to reduce positive midwifery identity and influence continuing workforce attrition rates.

CONCLUSION

Positive expression of midwifery identity, using a strength discourse and an inclusive workforce have the ability to strengthen job satisfaction and intention to remain in the profession. Midwifery education can occur through several pathways; however once registered, all midwives are equal.

The parents are watching: Midwifery students' perceptions of how workplace bullying impacts mothers and babies

PROBLEM

Bullying in the midwifery profession has been documented and the problem is now known to extend to the poor treatment of midwifery students. In nursing, research has shown that bullying in the clinical workplace can adversely impact on quality of care. To date, no research has explored whether the bullying of midwifery students has secondary impacts on the experiences and care of mothers, babies, and their support persons.

AIM

To examine how midwifery students, who self-identify as having been bullied, perceive the repercussions on women and their families.

METHODS

This qualitative descriptive study explored 120 Australian and United Kingdom (UK) based midwifery students. Data were collected using an anonymous online qualitative survey and were thematically analysed.

FINDINGS

The findings suggest that the bullying of midwifery students impacts women and their families in a number of ways. Midwifery students perceive that mothers and babies are frequently implicated either directly or indirectly in the enactment of bullying. This can impact their safety, fractures relationships, and impairs the women's confidence in the student and the profession. Students additionally reported that women and/or their support persons can feel compelled to step in to defend and protect the student.

CONCLUSIONS

The bullying of midwifery students is perceived to place women at risk, in uncomfortable situations, damage rapport and undermines their confidence in students and the profession. This also impacts adversely on the student's ability to provide women centred care as they lose confidence in front of the woman and her family when they are bullied by registered midwives.

Social culture and the bullying of midwifery students whilst on clinical placement: A qualitative descriptive exploration

The context within which midwifery students are professionally socialised is thought to impact upon the development of their sense of belongingness, their attitudes and values, and their commitment to the midwifery profession. Negative forms of socialisation are known to lead to undesirable outcomes including desensitisation about humanistic needs. This has potential to extend to an acceptance of workplace bullying and unfair treatment of others, including midwifery students whilst on clinical placement. This study aimed to explore how the social culture of the maternity setting influences midwifery students' experiences of being bullied whilst on clinical placement. One hundred and twenty midwifery students from Australia and the United Kingdom completed a qualitative online survey and the data was thematically analysed. One main overarching theme and four sub themes were identified. These were: 'the organisational culture of acceptance: "in front of"', 'brazen expression', 'group buy-in', 'suppression of dissent', and 'collateral damage'. Each of these factors enabled replication of the problem and led to perpetuation of the bullying cycle. This study illuminated that an entrenched culture of acceptance exists which impacts the students educational experience, the care received by mothers and babies, and the reputation of the midwifery profession.