Midwifery. 2026 Jun 23;161:104901. doi: 10.1016/j.midw.2026.104901. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
PROBLEM: Many midwives experience emotional distress, low morale and job dissatisfaction, and are making the decision to leave the profession as a result.
BACKGROUND: There is limited evidence on how resilience shapes midwives’ career experiences, choices, and trajectories, particularly during early exposure to workplace stress and dissatisfaction.
AIM: To conduct a UK based study to explore midwives’ and student midwives’ perceptions, attitudes, and experiences of the influence of resilience in relation to any decisions they make about their careers.
METHODS: A constructivist grounded theory design was used to explore the influence of resilience on midwives’ and student midwives’ career-related decisions. Thirty-six participants recruited from three NHS Trusts in the North of England took part. A purposive and theoretical sampling approach using individual semi-structured interviews between 2019 and 2021 was adopted.
FINDINGS: The influence of resilience in relation to any career-related decisions participants’ made, resulted in the substantive grounded theory (GT), ‘Time to change’. ‘Time to Change’ developed comprising four core concepts: ‘Fitting in’, ‘Being valued,’ ‘Feeling in control’ and ‘Getting the balance right’. Central to the theory was the importance of confidence, experience, and perceived support on fluctuating levels of resilience, and midwives’ subsequent ability to make career-related decisions.
DISCUSSION: Participants’ perceived resilience, alongside a number of other influences, has a significant role in midwives’ career-related decisions.
CONCLUSION: The findings provide novel insight into the influence of resilience in midwifery that has relevance for the profession and the potential to inform midwifery policy, practice, and education for the future.
PMID:42365685 | DOI:10.1016/j.midw.2026.104901
