Caring behaviours by midwives: Jordanian women's perceptions during childbirth

It is agreed internationally that caring is a central part of nursing and midwifery. There is a growing concern about the lack of caring in childbirth settings in developing countries including Jordan. The aim of this study was to explore women's perceptions of midwives' caring behaviours during childbirth to assist develop strategies for improvement.

An exploratory and qualitative design utilizing semi-structured interviews was used to explore women's perceptions of midwives' caring behaviours during childbirth. Interviews were digitally recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were analysed by using thematic coding. Repetitive themes that described commonalties between the women's perceptions were identified and described.

Twenty-one women participated in the interviews. Three main themes were identified: (1) Women's feelings during childbirth: they felt frightened, humiliated, ignored, and disrespected. Negative actions in term of tangible or physical non-caring behaviours and emotional behaviours were reported. (2) Women's perceptions of the caring behaviours of midwives during childbirth: women had negative experiences during childbirth, they reported disrespectful manners and physical and empathetic abandonment by midwives during childbirth. (3) Women's preferred caring behaviours: women wanted the midwives to listen to what they say, to demonstrate respect for them, and be truly 'present' for women when they needed them.

The absence of caring behaviours from a group of Jordanian midwives' elicited negative responses from women in labour, who found this distressing. Devising strategies, informed by the study, focused on the preferred caring behaviours identified by women, could improve the standard of care provided by midwives currently working in labour wards in public hospitals in Jordan. These strategies should recognise that core competencies for midwifery care must go beyond skills training alone and highlight the importance of the psychosocial and emotional components of caring as well as routine procedural activities.