WORKING AS A COORDINATOR MIDWIFE IN A TERTIARY ...

“support from midwives in the secondary hospital was often lacking and was a source of
great distress” (p.179). It seems there are times when trust is weak between colleagues
who perhaps have different beliefs on what constitutes safe care, or perhaps have false
impressions of the nature of the practice of ‘other’.
How Much Longer Shall I Wait?
Irene speaks about her feelings and parallels these stories to reveal how past experiences
influence current feelings and decision making:
It is hard to feel confident expecting things to happen based on prior experience
and at the same time hoping I am right. I find myself thinking, ‘how much longer
shall I wait’, ‘shall I go in the room now’ or I find ways of entering a room which
I wouldn’t have used before. I may offer somebody a 15 minute tea break,
although they may have had one an hour ago because that is the best way to get
in there and see what is going on without sticking your nose in and going through
notes and giving the impression to the midwife and to the woman, that I am not
trusting what is happening in the room. To infer distrust creates an unhealthy
atmosphere.
There are occasions when Irene feels concern for a situation and recognizes her need to
know what is happening behind closed doors. She reveals despite her experience and
knowledge, uncertainty exists as to how and when she accesses the knowledge she needs.
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