This issue is one I am very concerned about as well. I realise that it is a complex issue that is hard to tackle as many strands are involved in its source as well as its resolution.
In a workplace, however, the managers have responsibility to make sure that bullying is not tolerated and individuals are supported and nurtured. The new midwifery we hope to see in place in Australia will be reliant on managers with foresight, ability and good team building skills. There will always be those who knock change and feel threatened by new (unfamiliar) ways of doing things - a good manager will need strategies to deal with these threats to progress.
These are the kind of issues we will be tackling at the Managing Midwifery workshop at the end of April. It will include a whole day of skills development in coaching psychology that will enable midwifery managers to feel more confident around team building and motivating staff. This is definitely one program that all midwifery managers should try to attend.
http://www.birthinternational.com/event/managing2003/index.html
Please, everyone, make sure you manager has this info.....
Cheers
Andrea
At 02:54 AM 4/04/2003, Marilyn Kleidon wrote:
Dear Denise:
Sadly I recognise the truth you have written. I wish I didn't. After reading Carolyn Hastie's work earlier I wrote my senior paper at Seattle Midwifery School on Horizontal Violence amongst midwives. As I found in my research this bullying exists throughout the health professions. Because it can be subtle (as well as fierce) most often we grin and bear it. Also, I don't believe it just exists within the enclaves of beauracracy but is alive and well through the ranks of independent practitioners as well. I have observed a closing off from those who don't practice as "we" do. The bullying goes in both directions from those of us who are more conservative in practice than alternative and vice versa. It also embraces the political aspects of midwifery practice. And I am not considering the healthy discussions of alternative ways to practice that emerge from within healthy professions. This is definetly an area that needs ongoing feminist action research to document it and find ways to strengthen midwives and the midwifery profession. First off I think we need to acknowledge we belong to an increasingly bullying culture and have developed our own means of pushing and shoving just to keep our heads above water.
Treading water
marilyn
----- Original Message -----
From: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>Denise Hynd
To: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>[EMAIL PROTECTED] ; <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Wednesday, April 02, 2003 7:12 AM Subject: [ozmidwifery] Bullying
Dear All
I feel sure one of the reasons many of us are on this list is to gather strength and heal from the effect of bullying as well as to learn and be encouraged in ideas toward humanisation of birth.
I also think one of the main reasons Australia is not a land of midwifery is due to bullying of midwives, women and their supporters. Stories of incidents abound (especially on this list) and it is evidenced in the predominant negative outcomes of our national pregnancy and early parenting experiences.
For me bullying behaviours usually stop the transference of knowledge to effect change including humanised birth and real midwifery services!
It is not just that women are given inaccurate information about how to birth, more importantly they are too intimidated to listen, hear about and believe or act in their own abilities and to trust (real) midwives to assist them to birth in their own powers.
Historically midwives have been subjugated into subordination to medicine and nursing. Now several generations of Australian midwives have lived and learnt only this role as well as how in turn to keep themselves and the women in powerless places and belief systems. Thus most of our profession does not recognize that there is a problem in this subordination, is not demanding positive changes (including NMAP), Sadly now most Australian midwives actually believe we (the women and midwives) are safest where we are, that birth is inherently dangerous and we best leave it to the rescue brigade to make the decisions whilst we support them not the women or ourselves!.
If you recognise what I say is true or has some truth and want to understand this common,unacknoledged behaviour pattern in our places of birth, as well as act to change at least your contribution to this toxic culture I recommend you read Carolyn Hastie's article
<http://www.acegraphics.com.au/articles/hastie02.html>http://www.acegraphics.com.au/articles/hastie02.html
Denise Hynd
Peace at birth Peace on earth.
----- Andrea Robertson Birth International * ACE Graphics * Associates in Childbirth Education
e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] web: www.birthinternational.com
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