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Complementary and alternative medicine in midwifery practice: managing the conflicts
Helen G Hall1, Debra L Griffiths, Lisa G McKenna
1Monash University, School of Nursing & Midwifery, Peninsula Campus, P.O. Box 527, Frankston, Victoria 3199, Australia. Helen.Hall@med.monash.edu
Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice
|October 13, 2012
Summary
Midwives often use complementary medicine but face hospital opposition. They navigate these conflicts by emphasizing professional roles and employing strategies to manage differing perspectives on alternative therapies.
Area of Science:
- Healthcare Practices
- Midwifery Studies
- Complementary Medicine Research
Background:
- Midwives frequently support complementary medicine (CM).
- Hospital environments often present significant opposition to CM use.
- This study explores how midwives manage conflicting views on CM within hospitals.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how midwives negotiate the use of complementary therapies in hospital settings.
- To understand the strategies employed by midwives when facing opposition to CM.
- To examine the influence of professional roles and authority on CM integration.
Main Methods:
- Grounded theory methodology was utilized.
- Data collection involved interviews and observations.
- Twenty-five midwives from Australian metropolitan hospitals participated.
Main Results:
- Midwives' actions were shaped by their professional identity and perceived authority.
- Legitimization of CM involved emphasizing ideological alignment, historical use, and reduced medical interventions.
- Awareness of biomedical opposition led midwives to adopt protective strategies against conflict.
Conclusions:
- Disagreements over complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) are context-dependent.
- Midwives can successfully navigate competing expectations in some settings.
- Reconciling disparities between CM use and institutional norms remains a challenge in other situations.
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