The Impact of a Communication Training on the Birth Experience: Qualitative Interviews with Mothers after Giving Birth at Obstetric University Departments in Germany

Martina Schmiedhofer, Christina Derksen, Johanna Elisa Dietl, Freya Haeussler, Reinhard Strametz, Beate Huener and Sonia Lippke ()
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Martina Schmiedhofer: German Coalition for Patient Safety (Aktionsbündnis Patientensicherheit), 10179 Berlin, Germany
Christina Derksen: Department of Psychology & Methods, Jacobs University Bremen GmbH, 28759 Bremen, Germany
Johanna Elisa Dietl: German Coalition for Patient Safety (Aktionsbündnis Patientensicherheit), 10179 Berlin, Germany
Freya Haeussler: German Coalition for Patient Safety (Aktionsbündnis Patientensicherheit), 10179 Berlin, Germany
Reinhard Strametz: German Coalition for Patient Safety (Aktionsbündnis Patientensicherheit), 10179 Berlin, Germany
Beate Huener: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital Ulm, 89070 Ulm, Germany
Sonia Lippke: Department of Psychology & Methods, Jacobs University Bremen GmbH, 28759 Bremen, Germany

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 18, 1-17

Abstract: (1) Background: Patient safety is a pressing issue in healthcare. Besides economical and organizational issues, human factors play a crucial role in providing safe care. Safe and clear communication on both the healthcare workers’ and patients’ sides contribute to the avoidance of medical errors and increase patients’ and healthcare workers’ satisfaction. Globally, the incidence of experiencing at least one adverse event in obstetrics is about 10%, of which half are classified as preventable. According to international research, improving communication skills may decrease preventable adverse events. The research question was to what extent communication training for pregnant women impacts the quality of communication and mutual understanding during birth. (2) Methods: Communication interventions with pregnant women were conducted in two German university obstetric departments in a mixed methods research design, based on the Health Action Process Approach. The online classes covered the awareness of personal wishes, the understanding and usage of communication strategies, self-efficacy and empathy. This study presents the qualitative results. Out of 142 mothers who answered two questionnaires before the communication training and after the birth, 24 in-depth semistructured interviews were conducted to explore the subjective impact of the communication training. The results were analyzed with qualitative content analysis. (3) Results: The majority of participants felt incentivized to be aware of their personal wishes for birth and to express them. Perceived positive experiences with sufficient competency in communication, empathy and mutual understanding outweighed negative treatments and experiences in the hospital, some of which could be attributed to structural problems. (4) Discussion: The reported positive effects of the communication training underline the need but also the potential for communication lessons to reflect and improve communication skills in obstetrics. However, negative experiences due to structural problems in the healthcare system may be buffered by communication skills but not solved.

Keywords: birth; communication; obstetrics; Health Action Process Approach; healthcare research; obstetric healthcare workers; patient safety; preventable adverse events; qualitative research (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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