Personal resources related to work engagement of midwives working at perinatal maternity centers during the COVID-19 pandemic: Focusing on resilience

Abstract

Purpose

This study aimed to clarify the effect of personal resources, specifically resilience and personal background, on the work engagement (WE) of midwives working at perinatal maternity centers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

This quantitative association exploratory study was conducted from September 2021 to January 2022. Of the 408 facilities nationwide that have a perinatal maternity center, 127 agreed to participate in the study, and surveys were sent to a total of 2,515 midwives at the participating facilities. WE, resilience, and personal background were evaluated. Multiple regression analysis was performed, using WE as the dependent variable, as well as the explanatory variables for which correlations and statistically significant differences were observed in t-tests.

Results

Responses were obtained from 1,033 participants (41.1% response rate), and 984 valid responses (95.3% valid response rate) were analyzed. The mean age of the participants was 36.7 (SD 10.0) years, and the mean number of years of clinical experience was 12.1 (SD 8.94); 61.1% of the participants worked in departments that admitted COVID-19 patients. The mean score per WE item was 2.95 (SD 1.04), and participants who were aged 36 years or older, married, lived together with a family member, were chief or higher, and had an advanced midwifery certification had significantly higher scores compared with those who did not. The total score for innate resilience factors was 41.35 (SD 6.73), and only participants who were chief or higher had significantly higher scores compared with those who were not. The total score for acquired resilience factors was 32.49 (SD 4.19), and participants who were aged 36 years or older, chief or higher, had an advanced midwifery certification, and were working in a department that admitted COVID-19 patients had significantly higher scores compared with those who were not. Six variables significantly contributed to WE: age; marital status; the innate resilience factors optimism, sociability, and vitality; and the acquired resilience factor attempting to solve a problem.

Conclusion

The acquired resilience factor associated with WE in midwives working at perinatal maternity centers during the COVID-19 pandemic was “attempting to solve a problem.”