Midwives' experiences of working during the COVID-19 pandemic: a rapid review and thematic synthesis of the evidence

Dann, Sophie-Anna ORCID: 0000-0002-3826-1551 (2022). Midwives' experiences of working during the COVID-19 pandemic: a rapid review and thematic synthesis of the evidence. University of Birmingham. M.Res.

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Abstract

Background
During the COVID-19 pandemic, already short-staffed and over-stretched maternity care provision continued with midwives at the forefront. As the service adapted due to the pandemic, evidence demonstrating the impact on midwives started evolving, although there was no attempt to collate and synthesise it.

Aims
The aim of this thesis was to collate, appraise and synthesise the evidence exploring midwives’ experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic, and provide recommendations on ways to support midwives during the current and future pandemics.

Methods
A rapid review was conducted with papers retrieved from nine bibliographic databases and nine grey literature sources, from January 2020 to May 2021, in English language. Critical assessment graded the quality of the papers (high, medium and low). Inductive analysis was performed on the high and medium quality papers, supported by the low quality papers, to identify themes.

Results
181 papers were included from a range of countries worldwide, spread throughout the time-period of January 2020 to May 2021, comprising 21 high-quality papers, 119 medium-quality papers, and 41 low-quality papers. Four main themes were identified (Rapid Service Change, Professional Impact on Midwives, Personal Impact on Midwives, and Midwives’ Perception of Impact on Women) with two additional cross-cutting themes (Tension, and Potential for the Future).

Conclusion
The COVID-19 pandemic had a profound effect on midwives worldwide, both physically and emotionally. An already-challenging profession was made more difficult during the pandemic, and midwives reported both short- and long-term effects. This suggests midwives need increased support both during and after a pandemic, and a number of recommendations have been made for how to facilitate this, such as maintaining clear communication, providing extra support for redeployed staff, implementing health-promoting programmes to reduce the emotional toll, ensuring the physiological needs of midwives are met, and creating a systematic crisis management plan for future pandemics.

Type of Work:

Thesis (Masters by Research > M.Res.)

Award Type:

Masters by Research > M.Res.

Supervisor(s):