Case Conferences Focusing on Emotions: Perspectives on Continuing Learning for Midwives in a Perinatal Unit

Abstract

Midwives are expected to be able to construct helping relationships. This requires accurately identifying the needs of the people they are helping. To improve this ability, we conducted an educational intervention comprising case conferences focusing on emotions. The intervention was based on a theory of helping relationships, and participants were four midwives working in a perinatal unit. Interviews and questionnaires were administered before and after the intervention. Data were analyzed using qualitative synthesis method (KJ method) to identify the structure of learning in this educational intervention. We identified a three-stage learning process: understanding the use of emotions, a shift in mindset, and the expectation that utilizing emotions will lead to improved quality of care. We also identified three aspects that supported this learning process and three difficulties that arose during the learning process. These difficulties could be overcome through a series of educational interventions, practices, and supports, which were found to lead to deeper learning and retention. The findings suggest that case conferences focusing on emotions are effective as a continuing education method to improve midwives’ performance in perinatal wards which contain patients with complex physical and psychosocial problems.