2 answers
2 answers
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Naomi’s Answer
There are many different levels of midwifery care that have varying levels of acuity but for the average nurse midwife that participates in birth work directly (delivering) I would say the stress level is high. The responsibility of a nurse midwife is great and decisions that he/she makes can impact families forever. That can be a wonderful thing because we have the ability to positively change someones life, but also a heavy burden to bear if and when things go wrong, which they inevitably do sometimes. I struggle with the influence of my role when it comes to the vastness of it, but in other areas stress levels are more low-moderate level like days in the clinic where you would perform routine gynecological and obstetric exams. Acute care in general whether a nurse, midwife, physician, or assistant requires critical thinking and attention to detail and is generally considered a higher stress role. outpatient care (in clinics) is generally less time sensitive and high impact, therefore its often times less stressful. Hope that helps
Updated
Jessica’s Answer
Stress is relative. Experience and knowledge help to improve the work flow and skills at detecting problems early. There are some events and situations that midwives cannot avoid but I also love being there for patients in those situations. We can have a huge impact on how they view the aftermath. Having friends, hobbies, a partner you can talk to when stressed, and other outlets is essential for not having the stresses overtake you.
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