Maternity care during the post-World War II Baby Boom: the experience of general duty nurses

The purpose of this study is to describe maternity nursing during the post-World War II Baby Boom from the perspective of general duty nurses. During the Baby Boom, maternity care changed with medical advances and the highest birth rate ever in the United States. This study provides insight into the impact of context on nurses' work experiences. Seven general duty postpartum or nursery nurses were interviewed about their nursing experiences during the Baby Boom. Constant comparative analysis was used to synthesize the transcripts of the interviews into in-depth descriptions of participants' work experiences. The large numbers of mothers and babies in their care, the prevailing concerns for infections, and paternalism influenced these nurses' work. Expectations about and by the nurses as well as work relationships contributed to the nurses' acceptance and rejection of changes in care of mothers and babies.