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Role modelling respectful maternity care to midwifery students

Role modelling respectful maternity care to midwifery students Respectful maternity care is key to high-quality care, a human right that is implemented in communication between healthcare practitioner and patient. It is well-established that this type of care should be given to all women in a way that upholds their self-worth, confidentiality and privacy. Self-dignity, confidentiality and awareness of a woman's emotions and feelings are critical to communication between a healthcare practitioner, such as a midwife, and a woman when providing respectful maternity care. The provision of care should ensure that women are free from harm and mistreatment, and that they are allowed to make informed choices and given continuous help throughout labour and childbirth (World Health Organization, 2019).Respectful maternity care is a fundamental right for every woman seeking maternity care. When it is violated, this is considered disrespect and abuse. Acts of abuse and disrespect have been recorded in a variety of maternity healthcare settings across the globe, making disrespect and abuse of pregnant women a cause of concern among midwives (Ratcliffe et al, 2016). These acts of abuse and disrespect towards pregnant women during pregnancy, labour and childbirth have several negative effects, worsening neonatal and maternal mortality rates. This issue can be avoided if midwives are equipped with the right midwifery skills, including communication skills, that underpin respectful maternity care.Midwifery is a clinical course and many midwifery skills are learnt in diverse clinical areas through role modelling. Role modelling is an effective teaching method to support knowledge and skill acquisition in medical professions, including midwifery. Observing qualified midwives, whom students believe exhibit the right skills, compels student midwives to imitate the behaviours and attitudes displayed by their role models (Goshomi et al, 2022). Role models are seasoned professionals whom students emulate in many aspects, including how to communicate with patients. Throughout training, student midwives are exposed to circumstances where they witness qualified midwives role-model midwife–client relationships. The quality of relationships that develop between student midwives and pregnant women are based on what they observe between pregnant women and qualified midwives whom they admire and respect (Goshomi et al, 2022). Student midwives observe and copy communication techniques, that they then use with patients during their training. Respectful maternity care should be embedded in these relationships between midwide and woman. However, when this is not the case, student midwives may learn about disrespect and abuse, either explicitly or tacitly through role modelling.Disrespect and abuse can be addressed by giving student midwives the right skills during role modelling, so that they witness respectful maternity care in action and act accordingly. Sources of disrespect and abuse-related behaviours and attitudes should not be role modelled to student midwives by qualified midwives, consciously or unconsciously. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png African Journal of Midwifery and Women's Health Mark Allen Group

Role modelling respectful maternity care to midwifery students

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Publisher
Mark Allen Group
Copyright
Copyright © 2022 MA Healthcare Limited
ISSN
1759-7374
eISSN
2052-4293
DOI
10.12968/ajmw.2022.0015
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Respectful maternity care is key to high-quality care, a human right that is implemented in communication between healthcare practitioner and patient. It is well-established that this type of care should be given to all women in a way that upholds their self-worth, confidentiality and privacy. Self-dignity, confidentiality and awareness of a woman's emotions and feelings are critical to communication between a healthcare practitioner, such as a midwife, and a woman when providing respectful maternity care. The provision of care should ensure that women are free from harm and mistreatment, and that they are allowed to make informed choices and given continuous help throughout labour and childbirth (World Health Organization, 2019).Respectful maternity care is a fundamental right for every woman seeking maternity care. When it is violated, this is considered disrespect and abuse. Acts of abuse and disrespect have been recorded in a variety of maternity healthcare settings across the globe, making disrespect and abuse of pregnant women a cause of concern among midwives (Ratcliffe et al, 2016). These acts of abuse and disrespect towards pregnant women during pregnancy, labour and childbirth have several negative effects, worsening neonatal and maternal mortality rates. This issue can be avoided if midwives are equipped with the right midwifery skills, including communication skills, that underpin respectful maternity care.Midwifery is a clinical course and many midwifery skills are learnt in diverse clinical areas through role modelling. Role modelling is an effective teaching method to support knowledge and skill acquisition in medical professions, including midwifery. Observing qualified midwives, whom students believe exhibit the right skills, compels student midwives to imitate the behaviours and attitudes displayed by their role models (Goshomi et al, 2022). Role models are seasoned professionals whom students emulate in many aspects, including how to communicate with patients. Throughout training, student midwives are exposed to circumstances where they witness qualified midwives role-model midwife–client relationships. The quality of relationships that develop between student midwives and pregnant women are based on what they observe between pregnant women and qualified midwives whom they admire and respect (Goshomi et al, 2022). Student midwives observe and copy communication techniques, that they then use with patients during their training. Respectful maternity care should be embedded in these relationships between midwide and woman. However, when this is not the case, student midwives may learn about disrespect and abuse, either explicitly or tacitly through role modelling.Disrespect and abuse can be addressed by giving student midwives the right skills during role modelling, so that they witness respectful maternity care in action and act accordingly. Sources of disrespect and abuse-related behaviours and attitudes should not be role modelled to student midwives by qualified midwives, consciously or unconsciously.

Journal

African Journal of Midwifery and Women's Health – Mark Allen Group

Published: Jan 1, 1

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