WORKING AS A COORDINATOR MIDWIFE IN A TERTIARY ...

Interview venue
Participants chose the venue they felt most comfortable with for their interview. One
participant chose to be interviewed at my home. Within minutes she asked me to stop the
tape recorder and told me she found it difficult speaking with the tape recorder running.
She explained that despite knowing what she wanted to say, she found the tape recorder
distracting and it inhibited her ability to continue. With her consent, I stopped the
interview. After an amicable discussion, I wiped the tape clear of our recording and
destroyed all documentation to ensure confidentiality. We then sat down and had a coffee
together which was a relaxed environment in which to talk and for each of us to debrief
on the experience. I asked her if the venue had any influence on her experience and she
advised me it did not. This participant was not included in the research.
One venue was at a neutral meeting room away from the participant’s workplace, with all
other interviews occurring in participants’ homes. I would take baking or a small gift as a
token of my appreciation and the interviews were usually preceded with coffee and food.
There was a tendency for a social interlude and time to relax, so I utilized this time to set
up the tape recorder and switch it on at a point where we felt we had established a relaxed
mood and we could move on to the interview talking freely with the tape recorder on, and
feeling that it was less obtrusive and off- putting.
Interview format
I gave participants the consent form to read at the beginning of our meeting. Time was
made for each participant to read it and to ask questions before it was signed.
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