Nurturing Maternity Staff
That maternity staff are under pressure, with many leaving their jobs each year, is well known. Personal sacrifices, long working hours, lack of resources and an overstretched system take their toll, and occasionally staff are involved in traumatic and emotionally difficult situations. Many tolerate these conditions in the service of doing a job they love, but what happens to their mental health over time? Nurturing Maternity Staff explains how the system and individuals within it relate to each other, highlighting both the vital role compassionate leadership has in creating psychologically safe working environments, as well as tools individuals can use to optimise their own mental wellbeing.
Let’s dare to dream maternity services could be different.
Dr Jan Smith is an HCPC and BPS registered Chartered Psychologist and is the director of Healthy You Ltd, an independent psychology practice. For over 10 years she has supported clients who have experienced birth-related trauma, and also healthcare staff who are suffering from vicarious trauma, burnout, moral injury or stress. Jan is the Clinical Lead for the national birth trauma campaign Make Birth Better, and leads the Parliamentary Working Group for Birth Trauma.
Jan has written and published about the impact of moral injury and vicarious trauma on staff, as well as preventing birth trauma in maternity.
Twitter & Instagram @healthyyoultd