This descriptive study replicates and extends the previous work on nursing support during labor. Within 72 hours of giving birth, 88 participants rated 25 selected nursing behaviors on a Likert scale as to their perceived helpfulness, with two open-ended questions for additional comments on helpful nursing behaviors. Nursing behaviors were categorized as emotional, informational, or tangible support. The majority of behaviors considered most helpful were in the emotional support category. Sixteen of the 25 behaviors were considered helpful, with the most helpful behaviors being making the woman feel cared about as an individual, appearing calm and confident, and treating the woman with respect. Findings were consistent with those of a previous study and suggest that, regardless of the pain management used, nurses supporting childbearing women must not only be competent but also use a high degree of interpersonal skills in providing nursing care.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Ayres, L.
, & Poirer, S. (1996). Virtual text and the growth of meaning in qualitative analysis. Research in Nursing and Health, 19, 163-169.
2.
Beck, C. T.
(1994). Replication strategies for nursing research. Image: Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 26, 191-194.
3.
Bennett, A.
, Hewson, D., Booker, E., & Holliday, S. (1985). Antenatal preparation and labor support in relation to birth outcomes. Birth, 12, 9-16.
4.
Bryanton, J.
, Fraser-Davey, H., & Sullivan, P. (1994). Women’s perceptions of nursing support during labor. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing, 23, 638-644.
5.
Callister, L. C.
(1993). The role of the nurse in childbirth: Perceptions of the childbearing woman. Clinical Nurse Specialist, 7, 288-293.
6.
Chute, G. E.
(1985). Expectation and experience in alternative and conventional birth. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing, 14, 61-67.
7.
Collins, B. A.
(1986). The role of the nurse in labor and delivery as perceived by nurses and patients. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing, 15, 412-418.
8.
DiMatteo, M. R.
, Kahn, K. L., & Berry, S. H. (1993). Narratives of birth and the postpartum: Analysis of the focus group responses of new mothers. Birth, 20, 204-211.
9.
Evans, S.
, & Jeffrey, J. (1995). Maternal learning needs during labor and delivery. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing, 24, 235-239.
10.
Field, P. A.
(1987). Maternity nurses: How parents see us. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 24, 191-199.
11.
Finn, J.
(1993). Caring in birthing. In D. A. Gaut (Ed.), A global agenda for caring(pp. 63-79). New York: National League for Nursing.
12.
Gagnon, A. J.
, & Waghorn, K. (1996). Supportive care by maternity nurses: A work sampling study in an intrapartum unit. Birth, 23, 1-6.
13.
Green, J. M.
, Coupland, V. A., & Kitzinger, J. V. (1990). Expectations, experiences, and psychological outcomes of childbirth: A prospective study of 825 women. Birth, 17, 15-24.
14.
Hallolorsdottir, S.
, & Karlsdottir, S. I. (1996). Empowerment or discouragement: Women’s experience of caring and uncaring encounters during childbirth. Health Care for Women International, 17, 361-379.
15.
Hastings-Tolsma, M.
, & Geary, P. A. (1995). Childbearing. In B. J. McElmurry & R. S. Parker (Eds.), Annual review of women’s health(pp. 145-166). New York: National League for Nursing.
16.
Highley, B.
,& Mercer, R. T. (1978). Safeguarding the laboring woman’s sense of control. Maternal Child Nursing, 4, 39-41.
17.
Hodnett, E. D.
, & Osborn, R. W. (1989). Effects of continuous intrapartum professional support on childbirth outcomes. Research in Nursing& Health, 12, 289-297.
18.
Hofmeyr, G. J.
, Nikodem, V. C., Wolman, W., Chalmers, B. E., & Kramer, T. (1991). Companionship to modify the clinical birth environment: Effects on progress and perceptions of labour, and breastfeeding. British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 98, 756-764.
19.
Kintz, D. L.
(1986). Nursing support in labor. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing, 16, 126-130.
20.
Kyman, W.
(1991). Maternal satisfaction with the birth experience. Journal of Social Behavior and Personality, 6, 57-70.
21.
Lazarus, R. S.
(1993). From psychological stress to the emotions: A history of changing outlooks. Annual Review of Psychology, 44, 1-21.
22.
Lazarus, R. S.
, & Folkman, S. (1984). Stress, appraisal and coping.New York: Springer.
23.
Lesser, M. S.
, & Keane, Y. R. (1956). Nurse-patient relationships in a hospital maternity service. St. Louis, MO: C. V. Mosby.
24.
Lowe, N. K.
(1991). Maternal confidence in coping with labor. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing, 20, 457-463.
25.
Lowe, N. K.
(1996). The pain and discomfort of labor and birth. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing, 25, 82-92.
26.
Lumley, J.
(1985). Assessing satisfaction with childbirth. Birth, 12, 141-145.
27.
Lynam, L. E.
, & Miller, M. A. (1991). Mothers’ and nurses’ perceptions of the needs of women experiencing preterm labor. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing, 21, 126-136.
28.
Mackey, M. C.
(1998). Women’s evaluation of the labor and delivery experience. Nursing Connections, 11, 19-31.
29.
Mackey, M. C.
, & Lock, S. E. (1989). Women’s expectations of the labor and delivery nurse. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing, 18, 505-509.
30.
Mackey, M. C.
,& Stepans, M. E. (1994). Women’s evaluations of their labor and delivery nurses. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing, 23, 413-420.
31.
McNiven, P.
, Hodnett, E., & O’Brien-Pallas, L. L. (1992). Supporting women in labor: A work sampling study of the activities of labor and delivery nurses. Birth, 19, 3-8.
32.
Nichols, F. H.
(1996). The meaning of the childbirth experience: A review of the literature. Journal of Perinatal Education, 5, 71-77.
33.
Oakley, A.
(1983). Social consequences of obstetric technology: The importance of measuring “soft” outcomes. Birth, 10, 99-108.
34.
Quinn, L.
(1993). Women’s satisfaction with the quality of the birth experience. Journal of Reproductive Psychology, 11, 107-115.
35.
Quinn, L.
, & Rutter, D. (1996). Birth experiences. In C. A. Niven & A. Walker (Eds.), Conception, pregnancy and birth. Oxford, England: Butterworth-Heinemann.
36.
Scott, G.
, & Niven, C. (1996). Pregnancy: A bio-psycho-social event. In C. A. Niven & A. Walker (Eds.), Conception, pregnancy and birth. Oxford, England: Butterworth-Heinemann.
37.
Seguin, L.
, Therrien, R., Champagne, F., & Larouche, D. (1989). The components of women’s satisfactions with maternity care. Birth, 16, 109-113.
38.
Shields, D.
(1978). Nursing care in labor and patient satisfaction: A descriptive study. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 3, 535-550.
39.
Simpson, K. R.
(1999). Routine care during labor and birth: Is this really how we want to practice perinatal nursing, or are we ready to advocate for childbearing women and insist on evidence-based care?Mother Baby Journal, 4, 5-7.
40.
Simkin, P.
(1995). Reducing pain and enhancing progress in labor: A guide to non-pharmacologic methods for maternity caregivers. Birth, 22, 161-171.
41.
Stolte, K.
(1987). A comparison of women’s expectations of labor with the actual event. Birth, 14, 99-103.
42.
Tomlinson, P. S.
, & Bryan, A. A. (1996). Family centered intrapartum care: Revisiting an old concept. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing, 25, 331-337.
43.
VandeVusse, L.
(1999a). Decision making in analyses of women’s birth stories. Birth, 26, 43-50.
44.
VandeVusse, L.
(1999b). The essential forces of labor revisited: 13 P’s reported in women’s stories. Maternal Child Nursing, 24, 178-184.
45.
Waldenstrom, U.
, Borg, I. M., Olsson, B., Skold, M., & Wall, S. (1996). The childbirth experience: A study of 295 new mothers. Birth, 23, 144-153.
