Storytelling in midwifery: 'Not just for entertainment'

The practice of sharing work-related stories has been shown to positively influence the learning experiences of student midwives. Less is known about the use of storytelling in general midwifery practice.

To explore the practice of sharing stories in midwifery, with a focus on story type, content and the reasons why stories are told.

A descriptive qualitative study utilising interviews was conducted among 17 midwives from two metropolitan maternity units in Sydney, Australia. Participants were asked to tell a story or stories they often told between midwives and then answer questions about storytelling.

Following descriptive analysis, seven story types were identified: 'clinical mishap', 'humorous', 'embarrassing or vulnerable situation', 'dramatic situation','grief', 'connection and kindness' and 'positive outcome'. Thematic analysis identified three main reasons behind the choice of story: 'to promote learning', 'to build culture' and 'to celebrate midwifery practice'. Descriptive results were mapped against a contemporary model of maternity care and found to resonate with all domains in the model.

Storytelling was found to be highly valued by midwives. The wholistic scope of stories suggests that the practice promotes positive learning and culture related benefits in midwifery and maternity care.

Storytelling in midwifery is a brief but powerful intervention which serves multiple practice and professional development goals.