Midwives’ experiences with accompaniment service work in Norway: A qualitative study

INTRODUCTION: The centralization of health services appears to be prevalent both in and outside Europe. As the distance to the nearest birth institution increases, so does the risk of unplanned births outside of an institution. A primary factor to prevent this is having a skilled birth attendant present. This study examines midwives’ experiences of working in the accompaniment services in Norway. METHODS: This was a qualitative interview study of 12 midwives working in the accompaniment services in Norway. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in January 2020. Systematic text condensation was used to analyze the data. RESULTS: The analysis identified four main themes. The midwives felt that accompaniment service work was a heavy responsibility, but it was professionally fulfilling. They felt that being on call was a lifestyle, and they were motivated by their relationships with the pregnant women. Presenting themselves as confident midwives helped the women to feel reassured. The midwives considered the cooperation within the health service to be key to good transport midwifery. CONCLUSIONS: The midwives who worked in the accompaniment services felt that their responsibility for caring for women in labor was challenging, but meaningful. Their professional knowledge was important for identifying the risk of complications and handling difficult situations. Despite carrying a heavy workload, they continued to work in the accompaniment services to ensure that women who had to travel long distances to birth institutions received appropriate help.