2024 Volume 28 Issue 1 Pages 215-224
In recent years, the number of high-risk expectant and nursing mothers has been increasing due to the declining birthrate and increasing maternal age. To provide safe and quality care to at-risk mothers, it is important to support the job retention of novice midwives working in the Maternal-Fetal Intensive Care Unit (MFICU). A qualitative descriptive study was conducted to investigate the experiences of novice midwives working in the MFICU ward at the Comprehensive Perinatal Maternal and Child Health Care Center. This study focused on experiences that encouraged the novice midwives' continued employment in midwifery care. Interviews were conducted with four midwives who had worked in the MFICU ward during their first or second year of employment and were still working at the Comprehensive Perinatal Maternal and Child Health Care Center in their third or fourth year of employment. After the interviews, verbatim transcripts were made and analyzed by M-GTA, based on which 41 concepts and 8 categories were generated. Novice midwives entered the workforce with <vague expectations of learning about high-risk situations> and experienced <fear of being in a tougher situation than expected> and <feeling inexperienced>. However, they gradually experienced <stamping out the desire to quit>. Although exasperated with their own inexperience, they began <seeking what [they] could do>, <growing confidence>, <recognizing the attractiveness of the MFICU ward>, and <aiming to become a midwife one step at a time>.
