A qualitative study on midwives’ ethics of self forgiveness ın traumatic obstetric events: perfect guilt

Abstract

This qualitative study was conducted to examine the self-blame and self-forgiveness attitudes of midwives who experienced traumatic obstetric events. The sample for this study consisted of 16 midwives who were actively working in obstetrics clinics. Data was collected using an Introductory Information Form and a Semi-structured Interview Form. The data was analysed using MAXQDA 2022 for content analysis. Colaizzi’s phenomenological interpretation method was used during data analysis. As a result of the analysis of qualitative data, 4 themes and 12 sub-codes were created. The mean age of the midwives participating in the study was 27.56 + 3.38 years and the mean monthly working hours were 176.00 + 19.43. It was determined that midwives questioned themselves in terms of effective communication (43.8%), adequacy in care (37.5%), meeting expectations (25%), empathy (18.8%) and ethics/professional ethics (18.8%) during care practices. It was determined that religious beliefs (43.8%), the permanence of the damage in the patient (18.8%) and the time elapsed after the event (18.8%) affected the midwives’ self-forgiveness after the obstetric traumatic events. In line with our study findings, it was determined that midwives blamed themselves because they felt ethically and morally responsible even in the absence of malpractice.