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An inquiry into the wellbeing of community-based midwives

Year:
2020
Duration:
18 months
Approved budget:
$29,976.00
Researchers:
Dr Tagonei Mharapara
,
Professor Katherine Ravenswood
,
Dr Janine Clemons
,
Dr Nimbus Staniland
Health issue:
Mental health (and sleep disorders)
Proposal type:
Health Delivery Research Activation Grant
Lay summary
We seek to understand what enables and hinders the wellbeing of community-based midwives. Community-based midwives represent 36% of the midwifery workforce in New Zealand. Despite this growing number, wellbeing for community-based midwives is yet to be fully understood by both scholars and practitioners. Knowing how community-based midwives sustain and promote their wellbeing in a role characterised by unpredictable and interruptive work is urgent. How do community-based midwives conceptualise and cope with challenges to their wellbeing? What effect does community-based midwives' wellbeing have on marriage or partnership, parenting and elderly care? What effect does wellbeing have on work commitment and intent to stay in the midwifery workforce? Do cultural differences influence how community-based midwives conceptualise and experience wellbeing? Our goal is to delineate the impact of work and non-work factors on the lives of community-based midwives to develop an evidence-based pathway for sustainable wellbeing.