WORKING AS A COORDINATOR MIDWIFE IN A TERTIARY ...

CHAPTER FIVE
Time as lived
The clocks secured on the walls of delivery suite are a constant physical, visible reminder
of chronological time for everyone within the unit. Time is a universal phenomenon and
wherever a person may be, the seconds, the minutes and the hours will pass by
predictably and consistently worldwide, which is what Harman (2007) terms “clock time”
(p.28).
Harman (2007) reminds us however, that “time is already at work before we have noticed
it at all” (p.28). Coordinators work for a set number of hours for their shift, with no
knowledge of what will need to be fitted into the hours that lie ahead of them. There are
occasions when they feel constrained by time, when time feels on their side and other
times when they are seriously challenged by critical situations and a sense of urgency
regarding time frames.
Coordinator’s stories reveal their feelings and actions in their stories which bring to life
the impact of time in their work lives.
The Luxury of Time
Jane is the only coordinator who shares stories of what it feels like when there ‘ is’ time:
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