The COVID-19 Pandemic in Spain: Experiences of Midwives on the Healthcare Frontline

Josefina Goberna-Tricas, Ainoa Biurrun-Garrido, Carme Perelló-Iñiguez and Pía Rodríguez-Garrido
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Josefina Goberna-Tricas: Department of Public Health, Mental Health and Perinatal Nursing, Universitat de Barcelona, 08007 Barcelona, Spain
Ainoa Biurrun-Garrido: Campus Docent, Sant Joan de Déu, Fundació Privada, School of Nursing, Universitat de Barcelona, 08034 Barcelona, Spain
Carme Perelló-Iñiguez: PhD Program in Citizenship and Human Rights, Universitat de Barcelona, 08007 Barcelona, Spain
Pía Rodríguez-Garrido: Nursing and Health PhD Program, Universitat de Barcelona, 08007 Barcelona, Spain

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 12, 1-23

Abstract: Background: Midwives look after women during pregnancy, childbirth and puerperium. In Spain, the first wave of COVID was particularly virulent. There are few studies about the experiences of midwives providing care during the COVID pandemic and very few have been undertaken in the countries of southern Europe such as Spain. This article sets out to take a more in-depth look at the experiences of midwives who were on the frontline of care during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as to identify new needs and resilience strategies that can help midwives. Methods: A qualitative methodology of phenomenological tradition was used, interviewing 10 midwives from primary care, hospital and independent care. Results: After content analysis, three central categories emerged: (a) cascade of emotions; (b) professional occupation and concern for the women; (c) resisting the day-to-day; resilience and resistance strategies. Conclusions: Despite the difficulties, midwives are concerned about the loss of rights and autonomy and about the increased vulnerability of women. Midwives have become aware of the power they have in their actions both in health management and administration, as well as in the care of women, creating strategies to provide dignified care to their users.

Keywords: SARS-CoV2; COVID-19; midwives; health care; health professions; pandemic; qualitative research (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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