{"id":82181,"date":"2022-11-30T16:00:16","date_gmt":"2022-11-30T16:00:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/accesshealthcare.ie\/?p=82181"},"modified":"2022-12-01T08:58:03","modified_gmt":"2022-12-01T08:58:03","slug":"why-is-there-such-a-shortage-of-midwives-in-ireland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/accesshealthcare.ie\/blog\/why-is-there-such-a-shortage-of-midwives-in-ireland\/","title":{"rendered":"Why is there such a Shortage of Midwives in Ireland?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The demand for qualified midwives in Ireland is at an all-time high, with hospitals in Dublin and other cities experiencing intense pressure to staff their maternity and neonatal wards. Nursing agencies<\/a> are facing an overall shortage of nurses and qualified healthcare professionals across the board but point out a particularly urgent demand for midwives.<\/p>\n

This article focuses on the specific shortage of midwives in Ireland, considers the reasons for the scarcity and looks at measures the government is implementing to find solutions to the problem.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The top ten reasons why midwives are leaving the profession<\/h2>\n

The shortage of midwives in Ireland is becoming a cause for concern. Midwives in Ireland play an essential role in facilitating childbirth and providing pre and post-natal healthcare to women and their babies. They also play an advisory role in guiding women and girls on sexual health and contraception options.<\/p>\n

Although a crucial and potentially rewarding career choice, hospitals and trusts are finding it increasingly difficult to retain qualified midwives. Some of the reasons for the \u00a0shortage of midwives <\/a>are cited below:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Hospitals are understaffed. <\/strong>Staffing shortages result in nurses and midwives having to manage overwhelming workloads with huge responsibilities and little support.<\/li>\n
  2. Midwives don\u2019t feel well-equipped or supported to provide quality patient care. <\/strong>As a consequence, their stress and exhaustion levels are high.<\/li>\n
  3. Dublin is one of the most expensive cities in Europe. <\/strong>The cost of living crisis with rising rents and petrol costs in Dublin has made it difficult for midwives to make a living in the city.<\/li>\n
  4. Shortage of parking spaces in hospitals. <\/strong>The lack of this essential provision requires hospital staff to arrive at work extra early to find a parking spot and still be on time for their shift.<\/li>\n
  5. Better opportunities for midwives abroad.<\/strong> Irish nurses with their high level of qualifications and training are valued abroad. Huge recruitment drives offering nursing opportunities overseas with better pay and career progression, attracting hundreds of newly qualified Irish nurses, and increasing the shortage of midwives in Ireland.<\/li>\n
  6. Midwives in Irish hospitals feel there is little scope for career progression. <\/strong>Midwives have lost their autonomy and feel there is no clear career pathway in midwifery to follow once they\u2019ve qualified.<\/li>\n
  7. The pandemic meant midwives and nurses couldn\u2019t leave Ireland to work abroad over the last two years<\/strong>. There are now twice as many qualified midwife professionals leaving Ireland since the world opened up again to travel.<\/li>\n
  8. Cuts in the health service.<\/strong> Reductions in investment in healthcare due to the pandemic have meant fewer career progression possibilities for nurses and midwives in Ireland.<\/li>\n
  9. Feeling undervalued. <\/strong>Midwives and nurses report feeling undervalued by management and the public, leading to low professional morale.<\/li>\n
  10. Women are more aware of their choices. <\/strong>Women are opting for pain-free births and midwife-led care in hospitals which has put more pressure on staff.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

     <\/p>\n

    What are the solutions to the midwife shortage in Ireland?<\/h3>\n