Book chapter
Mentoring as a Professional Support Strategy
Global Midwifery Mentorship: Building Capacity Through Connection, pp.79-93
Routledge, 1st
2026
Appears in Recent Faculty of Health Publications
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Abstract
This chapter explores the environment, or workplace culture, in which the midwife works, teaches, and mentors. We consider the factors that impact midwives' ability to have a sense of professional autonomy, confidence, and belongingness, which in turn can impact their capacity to mentor the next generation of midwives. The chapter notes how these issues can hinder or enhance the midwifery workforce: staff retention rates, job satisfaction, organisational productivity, and health outcomes. Finally, we investigate mentoring, as a strategy to improve the issues negatively impacting the midwifery workplace culture.
This chapter brings to light that successful and sustainable mentoring programs support both the midwife mentor and mentee by enhancing their sense of professional belongingness. The inherent desire to be accepted as part of a group encourages those who wish to belong to conform to the stated (laws and policies) and unstated (cultural behaviours) rules of the group. Furthermore, a cohesive workplace culture, facilitated through mentoring and a collective sense of professional belongingness, heightens professional identity and assists midwives to lead and support the professional development of self and others. This in turn has been shown to improve patient safety and birth outcomes.
Details
- Title
- Mentoring as a Professional Support Strategy
- Creators
- Lyn Ebert - Southern Cross University
- Contributors
- Elaine Jefford (Editor) - University of the Sunshine CoastLyn Ebert (Editor) - Southern Cross University
- Publication Details
- Global Midwifery Mentorship: Building Capacity Through Connection, pp.79-93
- Publisher
- Routledge; Oxon, UK
- Edition
- 1st
- Identifiers
- 991013318227902368
- Copyright
- © 2026 selection and editorial matter, Elaine Jefford and Lyn Ebert; individual chapters, the contributors.
- Academic Unit
- Allied Health and Midwifery; Faculty of Health
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Book chapter