Job satisfaction of midwives in the hospital setting: A cross-sectional survey in Germany

Background: Job satisfaction has a significant impact on work performance, personal well-being, and job retention. The work environment is known to influence job satisfaction, but little research has been conducted on how the design of the birthing environment affects midwives’ practice and satisfaction. The objective of this study is to investigate midwives’ job satisfaction in the hospital setting, their satisfaction with the design of the birthing room, and to identify correlations. Method: An online cross-sectional survey was conducted. The sample consisted of midwives (n=323) working in hospitals in Germany. The data was analysed using descriptive and statistical analysis methods. Results: The global job satisfaction was also in the middle range, as was satisfaction with the room design. The midwives were most dissatisfied with the time they had available to look after the women in their care and with their salary. Satisfaction with the team was high and, together with understaffing, was the strongest influencing factor on global job satisfaction. Satisfaction with the room design had only minor impact on job satisfaction. Conclusion: The study shows that job satisfaction can be increased by promoting team work and providing adequate staffing levels. The relationship between birthing environment, model of care and midwives’ job satisfaction requires further study.