Transition Shock Essay

‘Transition Shock’ of Fresh Graduate Midwives

Transition period of fresh graduate midwives is a period when students accomplish the midwifery education and start to involve in professional midwives working environment. It is challenging for the fresh graduate midwives as they should acknowledge that they have altered as health care providers who give real services to patients. This process may be a smooth process for them who do not get any problems. However, it can be a harsh process too, which is identified as a ‘transition shock’. Transition shock is due to factors such as the gap between theory and practice that affects the ideal practice of fresh graduate midwives directly and the relation among midwives in a working environment (Fenwick et al, 2012).
The first factor is the gap between theory and practice that leads fresh graduate midwives into feelings of fear, apprehension, uncertainty, deficiency and insecurity (Charnley 1999, Gerrish 2000, Duchscher 2009 in Fenwick et al, 2012).
Midwifery education has theory and practical learning that is established to produce midwives as one of professional health workers (WHO, 2006 and Fenwick et al, 2012, Michau R, 2009). Fresh graduate midwives need more ability and confidence to apply their theory knowledge they got during education program into real action. In addition, when there is a difference between theory and practice, which is called as a gap, it can be more challenging step for them. It’s common for fresh graduate midwives to feel panicked, which influences the service quality. To deal with this situation, a clinical placement program can be carried out during the education process. The aim of this program is to give students an experience to know more about the real condition in a working environment that is useful for them in their transition period (Michau,
2009). The second factor is the relation among midwives that is possible to make a working environment becomes a harsh process (Fenwick et al, 2012). For example the fresh graduate midwives who work in maternity health care, especially a postnatal or a delivery ward, which is a busy clinical area when they tend to be ignored by the other midwives. For the fresh graduate midwives who still have less experience in working, this situation makes them feel afraid of asking the questions or doing something because they are afraid to be called as a ‘trouble-maker’ (Fenwick et al, 2012). It can be an obstacle in building a communication with the other midwives. In other words, it can diminish the confidence of fresh graduate midwives, which inhibits their ability development (Fenwick et al, 2012). Positive midwife-to-midwife relationship is a key feature of a healthy working and learning environment (Hunter 2004, 2005, Rock & Tang 2009 in Fenwick et al, 2012). It impacts the confidence of fresh graduate midwives because positive midwife-to-midwife relationship enhances fresh graduate midwives’ professional ability by having an adequate communication for sharing knowledge with other midwives, especially with senior midwives.

In conclusion, the remedies to face ‘transition shock’ of fresh graduate midwives are clinical placement program and support by positive relations among midwives. So, it’s clearly noticed that the education program and workplace environment have an important role in improving the confidence of fresh graduate midwives to perform a better quality services.