Working together? Indices of division within the midwifery workforce

CURTIS, P., BALL, L. and KIRKHAM, M. (2006). Working together? Indices of division within the midwifery workforce. British journal of midwifery, 14 (3), 138-141.

Full text not available from this repository.
Official URL: http://www.intermid.co.uk/cgi-bin/go.pl/library/ar...

Abstract

Findings from the Why do Midwives Leave? (WML) study evidenced divisions between midwives and their managers. In the Talking to Managers (TTM) study (Curtis, Ball and Kirkham 2003), these horizontal divisions were also acknowledged by managers. However, other 'fault-lines' are also visible within midwifery. Distinctions between midwives were made on the basis of academic credentials: for promotion, formal educational achievements were felt to be valued over clinical skills and experience, leading to perceptions of a 'two-tier' system. Managers also distinguished between midwives on the basis of practice philosophy; midwifery idealists, who were seen as ill-fitted to the stresses of 'real' midwifery work, were contrasted with midwifery realists, who knew how they 'actually had to work in practise'. Though divisions between midwives may function as defence mechanisms for some, they can leave other midwives isolated and vulnerable to the inappropriate behaviour of others in the workplace.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: Midwives
Research Institute, Centre or Group - Does NOT include content added after October 2018: Centre for Health and Social Care Research
Page Range: 138-141
Depositing User: Ann Betterton
Date Deposited: 02 Jun 2008
Last Modified: 19 Mar 2021 01:15
URI: https://shura.shu.ac.uk/id/eprint/335

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item

Downloads

Downloads per month over past year

View more statistics