Physical Effects of Maternal Deaths on Midwives' Health: A Qualitative Approach

The impact of patient death on the risk of developing occupational burnout in midwives a preliminary cross-sectional study

The study aimed to assess the impact of experienced emotional states on the risk of the development of occupational burnout in midwives who experienced the death of a patient while on duty. The study was conducted on 54 midwives in Warsaw, Poland. We used the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBI) and the author's questionnaire. The average professional burnout level of midwives participating in the study was determined as 5.08 ± 0.67. Helplessness (57.4%) and depression (48.1%) were the most frequently experienced emotions. The number of deaths of patients experienced by the respondents did not affect the severity of burnout (Z = - 0.753; p > 0.05). However, midwives who declared that they had experienced the death of a patient more than 10 times while on duty were more likely to experience a feeling of relief (2.83 vs. 2.00; Z = - 2.30; p < 0.05) and calmness (2.97 vs. 2.24; Z = - 1.95; p < 0.05). The experienced depression positively correlated with the level of exhaustion (rho = 0.465; p < 0.001) and the overall level of occupational burnout (rho = 0.291; p < 0.05). However, it was not correlated with the level of disengagement (p > 0.05). Depression has a significant impact on the risk of developing occupational burnout, which highlights the need to develop and implement effective support methods for midwives experiencing difficult emotions related to the death of patients while on duty.

Occupational Stress and Its Effects on Nurses at a Health Facility in Ho Municipality, Ghana

Introduction

The prevalence of occupational stress among nurses varies significantly around the globe. Nursing is often considered a stressful occupation and can have negative effects on the mental, physical, family relationships, and quality of care given to patients. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences, causes, effects, and coping strategies of occupational stress among nurses working at a health facility in Ho Municipality in Ghana.

Methods

The study employed a qualitative research approach with an exploratory design. Data saturation was reached with 18 participants. Purposive sampling was used to select participants, while semistructured interview guide with voice recorders were used in data collection. Data were manually transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis.

Results

Overall, four main themes and ten subthemes were developed from this study. The main themes were nurses' perception of occupational stress, sources of occupational stress, effects of occupational stress, and coping strategies adopted to cope with occupational stress. The subthemes were as follows: negative and positive stressful feeling, individual level, hospital level, general body pain and fatigue, mental health problems, ineffective relationships, low work output, diversional therapy, positive work outcomes, and psychological support from others (family and colleagues).

Discussion

There are more negative effects of occupational stress on nurses. However, most of the nurses adopted coping strategies to reduce stress with little or no support from the hospital. More support from the hospital will be required to totally manage occupational stress.

Conclusion

The study findings revealed how stress affects the daily life and work output of nurses. It is crucial to comprehend how work-related stress affects nurses and what aspects of their workplace are the most burdensome.

A qualitative exploratory study on the effects of formalin on mortuary attendants

Objectives:

To explore the effects of formalin on mortuary attendants in nine selected hospitals in Ghana.

Methods:

The study applies a qualitative exploratory descriptive design in the overall collection and analysis of data. Purposive sampling was used to reach the saturation of 19 participants. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews and manually analysed using content analysis.

Results:

Five themes developed from the analysed data, namely, effects of formalin on the eyes, effects of formalin on the respiratory system, effects of formalin on the skin, effects on appetite, and formalin as a cancer-causing agent.

Conclusion:

This study has unveiled the negative effects of formalin on morgue attendants, which is likely to cause long-time health problems. It is therefore recommended that all mortuaries in Ghana should be assisted with protective equipment, in-service training, and practice of universal safety to help reduce risks associated with chemical hazards, especially formalin. There should be regular surveillance in the mortuaries and workers be screened regularly.

"Once you get one maternal death, it's like the whole world is dropping on you": experiences of managing maternal mortality amongst obstetric care providers in Ghana

BACKGROUND

Maternal mortality has a significant global impact, especially in low-resource settings. Little prior research has been conducted on the potential effects of poor maternal outcomes on the personal and professional well-being of healthcare providers. This study explores the in-depth experiences and perspectives of obstetric providers in Ghana who work in a setting with frequent maternal mortalities.

METHODS

This is a qualitative study of semi-structured interviews conducted at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Ghana. Participants were obstetric healthcare providers, defined as midwives, house officers currently rotating on the obstetrics/gynecology service, and obstetrician/gynecologists at any training or practice level (residents, fellows, and specialists). Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and uploaded into NVivo for qualitative analysis. Using the Attride-Stirling qualitative model, an incremental and iterative process was used to code interviews with keyword phrases and develop a framework of organizing and global themes.

RESULTS

Interviews were conducted with 27 participants-15 midwives and 12 physicians (three obstetrician/gynecologist residents, six obstetrician/gynecologist specialists, and three house officers), with sample size determined by data saturation. Obstetric providers' experiences in a setting with frequent maternal mortalities were dependent on their level of preparedness to manage maternal mortalities and the workplace environment. Providers' level of preparedness was dependent on both the training they had received on the medical management of obstetric emergencies, as well as a lack of training on the mental health aspects of coping with maternal mortality. The impact of the workplace environment was dependent on systems failures and limited resources, blame from colleagues and supervisors, and a lack of support in the workplace. In turn, obstetric providers' experiences managing frequent maternal mortalities impacted their clinical care performance and mental health.

CONCLUSIONS

Maternal deaths have profound personal and professional impacts on the healthcare providers who manage them. A large need exists for additional institutional training and support for obstetric providers who manage maternal mortality, especially in low-resource settings like Ghana.