抄録
The purpose of this study was to clarify the association between the level of midwifery skills evaluation and midwifery experience in maternity care among young midwives with two to four years of experience, excluding new midwives with one year of experience among those with less than five years of experience working at perinatal medical centers in Japan. The survey was conducted among consenting midwives in 38 cooperating facilities. The subjects of the survey were randomly selected from 407 perinatal mother and child healthcare centers in Japan, and 38 midwives who cooperated were surveyed. Maternity care skills (20 items on pregnancy, 41 items on labor, 34 items on the puerperium and neonatal period) in the training guide for newly-graduated midwives were used as survey items. Responses were received from 102 (42.1%) midwives, of which 99 (97.1%) were valid responses. Twenty-seven (27.3%) were in their second year of midwifery experience, 33 (33.3%) in their third year, and 29 (39.4%) in their fourth year. The percentage of "able to do" response was high for 17 items in <diagnosis and care during pregnancy>, 37 items in <Diagnosis and care during labor>, and 31 items in <Diagnosis and care in puerperal and neonatal periods>. The percentage of responses other than "possible" was high for items in the high-risk diagnosis and care in all periods. In terms of "maternal transport care" and "mental health follow-up of maternal women and families with children such as fetal abnormalities and deaths," and similar issues, midwives with 2 years of experience had a low score for "do it yourself." Clearly, young midwives still have items that are difficult to evaluate with confidence. Therefore, midwives have yet to acquire the skills necessary for high-risk cases compared to low-risk cases. We believe that these skills would improve as the midwife gains more experience.
