Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed in this blog post are solely those of the author.

Midwifery care embodies the art of partnership, communication, compassion, and holistic care. The American College of Nurse Midwives (ACNM) philosophy of care includes “the model of health care for a woman and her family:

• Promotes a continuous and compassionate partnership
• Acknowledges a person's life experiences and knowledge
• Includes individualized methods of care and healing guided by the best evidence available
• Involves therapeutic use of human presence and skillful communication.”

Episode 4 beautifully illustrates the importance of acknowledging a person’s life experience and need for skillful communication. This week we were able to meet Nurse Ann "Nancy" Corrigan. Just like many midwifery students she is upbeat and ready to make her mark in this world. However, Nurse Corrigan lacks skillful communication and understanding the importance of acknowledging one’s life experiences. She meets Mrs. Greaney, a woman in her final weeks of pregnancy, and Nurse Corrigan provides reassurance of her blood pressure in a loud, funny, but upbeat and brash way, not realizing or recognizing the affect it has on Mrs. Greaney (due to her previous diagnosis of preeclampsia). Nurse Corrigan fails to review her notes on this important topic and does not “read the room”. Nurse Trixie Franklin reminds her afterwards to listen to her, hear her fears, and to encourage her. Nurse Corrigan was not mindful of Mrs. Greaney's past experiences and what may trigger her and cause her anxiety. This failure led to Mrs. Greaney to transfer her care.

There is so much to unpack just from that part of the episode. Midwives work with womxn in such a vulnerable part of their lives. The midwife must remember the importance of truly listening and understanding what is important to that individual. Listening is not simply hearing what is being said but actively listening to understand, evaluate, and discuss. Acknowledging a person’s life experiences provides knowledge of potential barriers to care, unmet needs, and desires. I have worked with womxn who have gone through many difficult situations and may still be recovering, this may impact the care they receive. For example, some womxn have been abused as child, raped, or have had a traumatic birthing experience. Without identifying such history, a provider may neglect to create an individualized plan of care thus increasing the risk of a traumatic birth experience. As Nurse Franklin points out, it is important to listen a person’s fears and provide encouragement. Acknowledging and discussing a womxn’s preferences of their care and/or concerns empowers them to make decisions that are right for them and their families. While I may be bias, I do believe Midwives do a great job of listening, empowering womxn, and promoting compassionate partnership.

Another issue that was presented during Mrs. Greaney's prenatal visit was the depiction of a hospital birth vs a homebirth. Nurse Corrigan referred to a hospital birth as the cleaner and safer option compared to a home birth which would be messier. Unfortunately, today these preconceived notions that a home birth is risky, unsafe, unclean, and undesired compared to a hospital birth is reality. While I do work in a hospital setting, I do support a womxn’s right to decide the setting and provider for birth. Providers should provide an open dialogue reviewing the risks and benefits of a home or hospital birth based on recent evidence and support a womxn’s decision. There have been many studies conducted across the globe reviewing the outcome of planned homebirths, results have varied over the last 20 years (which goes beyond this blog entry).

This week’s episode had other very important topics that I plan on briefly discussing in my next blog post. As I reflect on this episode and the topic I discussed above, I recognize the importance to continue to work on my communication skills, to listen, be empathetic, and to be mindful of a womxn’s experience(s). To truly provide quality care the midwife really needs to take a step back, listen to his/her clients story, and promote a partnership.