Midwives in Victoria, Australia: a survey of current issues and job satisfaction

Objective: to describe demographic and work profiles of registered practisi ng midwives, to assess their job satisfaction and their knowledge of and at titudes to the 1990 Victorian Birthing Services review. Design: a questionnaire posted in 1995 to a population-based random sample of registered midwives. Participants: two hundred and forty midwives currently using their midwifer y skills in their work. Setting: one thousand names and addresses were randomly selected from a dat abase of midwives registered to practice in Victoria, Australia in 1993, Findings: there was a 72% response rate to the postal questionnaire. Two hu ndred and forty practising midwives returned completed questionnaires. Seve nty-three per cent were in full time employment, 49% lived in rural Victori a, 80% were born in Australia, more than half were aged 40 or more years an d 72% had at least one child,Twenty-six per cent worked in postnatal wards, 9% in each the labour ward and the neonatal nursery, 2% in birthing centre s and 12% in out of hospital settings. Eighty per cent were satisfied with their work and interactions with women were the most important aspect. Sati sfaction was associated with working in a labour ward, feeling adequately p repared by midwifery education and training, nursing for more than 15 years and having continuing education. Neonatal and rotating positions were sign ificantly associated with dissatisfaction. Less than one-half of the midwiv es had read some of the Birthing Services Review, and of these only one-hal f had changed their attitudes or practice. One-third knew little of the imm inent changes to the Midwifery Regulations. Conclusion: although most midwives enjoyed their work there was little evid ence of increasing autonomy or involvement in change. (C) 1999 Harcourt Pub lishers Ltd.