Exploring Midwives' Experiences Within Canada's First Alongside Midwifery Unit: Impacts and Implications for...

Area of Science:

• Maternal and Child Health
• Midwifery Practice
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Midwifery-led units are linked to positive birth outcomes, but midwife experiences within these models are under-researched.
• The first Alongside Midwifery Unit (AMU) in Canada, established in 2018, offers a novel model of care integrating hospitalist and community midwives.
• AMUs provide low-risk births in a homelike setting adjacent to obstetric units, facilitating midwifery-led care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore and describe the experiences of midwives working within the Alongside Midwifery Unit (AMU) model.
• To understand how the AMU model influences the practice and philosophy of midwives.
• To identify facilitators and challenges for midwives in this integrated care setting.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study employing semistructured interviews with midwives.
• A focus group was conducted with both community and hospitalist midwives.
• Grounded theory approach was utilized for data analysis.

Main Results:

• Midwives reported maintaining their core midwifery philosophy of care.
• Strengthened intra- and interprofessional relationships were observed.
• Midwives experienced enhanced hospital integration and growth in leadership roles within the AMU model.

Conclusions:

• The AMU model supports best practices and fosters positive relationships between healthcare professionals.
• Implementation of AMUs positively impacts midwives' practice without compromising midwifery values.
• Findings offer insights for refining the AMU model and guiding its implementation in other healthcare settings.