WORKING AS A COORDINATOR MIDWIFE IN A TERTIARY ...

Summary
My pre-understandings reveal my personal and professional experiences, my feelings and
emotions which influenced my expectations for the findings in this study prior to
commencing interviews. By acknowledging what I knew I wanted to hear, I recognized I
needed to be careful not to ‘craft’ the interviews. My challenge was to quietly try to free
the interview time so stories flowed and experiences were revealed rather than being
prompted by me.
Crotty (1998) describes the ability to see the world “afresh” (p.x) through
phenomenological research. By facing my preunderstandings and putting them aside with
utilisation of the appropriate methodology, it is my objective to reveal what it feels like
being a coordinator for the five participants in this study.
To conclude, I hope this study will offer insight into the role of these five coordinator
midwives and it will not only enhance their professional and personal sense of ‘being’ but
it will also offer new perspectives for professionals and consumers with whom they come
into contact in the tertiary hospital delivery suite setting.
28