Factors affecting the performance of independently practicing midwives

Abstract

The performance of midwives needs to be measured to provide guaranteed health services to mothers and children. Therefore, the aim of this study is to measure the performance of midwives using several variables, including internal branding, meaningfulness of work, work engagement, and innovative behavior, both directly and indirectly. The analysis was conducted in 29 districts and nine cities in East Java, Indonesia, with a sample of 330 midwives. Primary data were obtained by distributing questionnaires and analyzed using PLS-SEM. The research results show that all the variables tested have a positive and significant influence on midwifes’ performance. Innovative behavior has the strongest direct influence (73%), and meaningfulness of work has the weakest direct influence on midwifes’ performance (6%). Meanwhile, indirect relationships through work engagement provide a positive and significant influence, but are not as strong as the direct influence. These results offer practical insight for midwives to maintain and improve their individual performance, considering that more and more new midwives are ready to compete in providing health services for mothers and children.