Work-related stress and intention to leave among midwives working in Swiss maternity hospitals – a cross-sectional study

Abstract Background Health systems around the globe are struggling to recruit qualified health professionals. Work-related stress plays an important role in why health professionals leave their profession prematurely. However, little is known about midwives’ working conditions and intentions to leav...

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Main Authors: Karin Anne Peter, Barbara Meier-Kaeppeli, Jessica Pehlke-Milde, Susanne Grylka-Baeschlin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2021-07-01
Series:BMC Health Services Research
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-021-06706-8
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author Karin Anne Peter
Barbara Meier-Kaeppeli
Jessica Pehlke-Milde
Susanne Grylka-Baeschlin
author_facet Karin Anne Peter
Barbara Meier-Kaeppeli
Jessica Pehlke-Milde
Susanne Grylka-Baeschlin
author_sort Karin Anne Peter
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Health systems around the globe are struggling to recruit qualified health professionals. Work-related stress plays an important role in why health professionals leave their profession prematurely. However, little is known about midwives’ working conditions and intentions to leave their profession, although this knowledge is key to work force retention. Therefore, we aimed to investigate work-related stress among midwives working in Swiss maternity hospitals, as well as differences between midwives and other health professionals and the stressors associated with midwives’ intention to leave the profession. Methods We conducted a data analysis of two cross-sectional studies encompassing midwives working in labour, postpartum and/or gynaecology wards of 12 public Swiss maternity hospitals. Data was collected by self-report questionnaire assessing potential stressors and long-term consequences of stress at work. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Kruskal Wallis tests and logistic regression modelling. Results A total of 98 midwives took part in the study and one in three midwives reported doing overtime sometimes-always. Also, the score for work-private life conflicts was significantly higher among midwives than among other health professionals, with the exception of physicians (M = 37.0 versus 50.2, p < .001). Midwives’ meaning of work score (M = 89.4) was significantly higher than that of other health professionals (e.g. nurses (M = 83.0, p < .001) or physicians (M = 82.5, p < .01)). Generation Y midwives showed a significantly higher intention to leave their organisation than did the baby boomers (Mean scores 29.3 versus 10.0, p < .01). Results of the regression model revealed that if midwives could compensate for their overtime in the same month, their intention to leave the profession was lower (OR = 0.23, p < .05). Additionally, the more midwives were affected by work-private life conflicts (OR = 3.01, p < .05) and thoughts about leaving their organisation (OR = 6.81, p < .05), the higher was their intention to leave their profession prematurely. Conclusions The comparison with other health professions and the higher intention to leave the profession of younger midwife generations are important findings for heads of institutions as well as policy makers, and should stimulate them to develop strategies for keeping midwives on their staff. More extensive studies should implement and test interventions for reducing work-related stress and increasing the job and occupational satisfaction of midwives.
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spelling doaj.art-9cbc3c10f8754437b64116d1a997e9bf2022-12-21T20:25:35ZengBMCBMC Health Services Research1472-69632021-07-0121111010.1186/s12913-021-06706-8Work-related stress and intention to leave among midwives working in Swiss maternity hospitals – a cross-sectional studyKarin Anne Peter0Barbara Meier-Kaeppeli1Jessica Pehlke-Milde2Susanne Grylka-Baeschlin3Division of Applied Research & Development in Nursing, Bern University of Applied SciencesDivision of Women’s Health and Newborn Care, Department of Obstetrics, University Hospital of ZurichResearch Unit for Midwifery Science, ZHAW Zurich University of Applied SciencesResearch Unit for Midwifery Science, ZHAW Zurich University of Applied SciencesAbstract Background Health systems around the globe are struggling to recruit qualified health professionals. Work-related stress plays an important role in why health professionals leave their profession prematurely. However, little is known about midwives’ working conditions and intentions to leave their profession, although this knowledge is key to work force retention. Therefore, we aimed to investigate work-related stress among midwives working in Swiss maternity hospitals, as well as differences between midwives and other health professionals and the stressors associated with midwives’ intention to leave the profession. Methods We conducted a data analysis of two cross-sectional studies encompassing midwives working in labour, postpartum and/or gynaecology wards of 12 public Swiss maternity hospitals. Data was collected by self-report questionnaire assessing potential stressors and long-term consequences of stress at work. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Kruskal Wallis tests and logistic regression modelling. Results A total of 98 midwives took part in the study and one in three midwives reported doing overtime sometimes-always. Also, the score for work-private life conflicts was significantly higher among midwives than among other health professionals, with the exception of physicians (M = 37.0 versus 50.2, p < .001). Midwives’ meaning of work score (M = 89.4) was significantly higher than that of other health professionals (e.g. nurses (M = 83.0, p < .001) or physicians (M = 82.5, p < .01)). Generation Y midwives showed a significantly higher intention to leave their organisation than did the baby boomers (Mean scores 29.3 versus 10.0, p < .01). Results of the regression model revealed that if midwives could compensate for their overtime in the same month, their intention to leave the profession was lower (OR = 0.23, p < .05). Additionally, the more midwives were affected by work-private life conflicts (OR = 3.01, p < .05) and thoughts about leaving their organisation (OR = 6.81, p < .05), the higher was their intention to leave their profession prematurely. Conclusions The comparison with other health professions and the higher intention to leave the profession of younger midwife generations are important findings for heads of institutions as well as policy makers, and should stimulate them to develop strategies for keeping midwives on their staff. More extensive studies should implement and test interventions for reducing work-related stress and increasing the job and occupational satisfaction of midwives.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-021-06706-8MidwiferyStressorsIntention to leaveJob satisfactionWork force retention
spellingShingle Karin Anne Peter
Barbara Meier-Kaeppeli
Jessica Pehlke-Milde
Susanne Grylka-Baeschlin
Work-related stress and intention to leave among midwives working in Swiss maternity hospitals – a cross-sectional study
BMC Health Services Research
Midwifery
Stressors
Intention to leave
Job satisfaction
Work force retention
title Work-related stress and intention to leave among midwives working in Swiss maternity hospitals – a cross-sectional study
title_full Work-related stress and intention to leave among midwives working in Swiss maternity hospitals – a cross-sectional study
title_fullStr Work-related stress and intention to leave among midwives working in Swiss maternity hospitals – a cross-sectional study
title_full_unstemmed Work-related stress and intention to leave among midwives working in Swiss maternity hospitals – a cross-sectional study
title_short Work-related stress and intention to leave among midwives working in Swiss maternity hospitals – a cross-sectional study
title_sort work related stress and intention to leave among midwives working in swiss maternity hospitals a cross sectional study
topic Midwifery
Stressors
Intention to leave
Job satisfaction
Work force retention
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-021-06706-8
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