Communication in the Birth Suite.

Given the importance of pregnancy and childbirth to a woman, communication is a key feature contributing to the successful development of and control over that anxious period. An appropriate and correct communication prevents confusion and misunderstanding between clients and healthcare professionals. Everyone needs to communicate, especially if they are at a healthcare facility and expect healthcare professionals to come up with words of explanation, encouragement and support. The theoretical section of the work deals with communication between a birth assistant and a birthing woman. The general section summarizes communication in the birth suite and lists factors affecting communication, such as pain and childbirth training. The main objectives of the work were to determine the effect of childbirth training on communication between the expectant mother and healthcare professionals during childbirth, to see whether birth assistants were able to appropriately react to conditions accompanying childbirth and to find out whether successful communication with women in labor depended on birth assistants{\crq} expertise. The objectives have been met thanks to the research conducted. Qualitative survey by means of interviews was employed in the research section of the bachelor thesis. Eight birth assistants were interviewed: four out of them had worked in the birth suite for more than ten years and the others for one year. In addition, eight mothers were interviewed the day after they had given birth. Four of them gave birth for the first time and four of them for the fourth time. The interviews were prepared so that I could answer the following research questions: 1. What do birth assistants think about the effect of childbirth training on communication with mothers during childbirth? Most of the birth assistants answered that question in the affirmative. Expectant mothers who have been trained before childbirth communicate better and have more information and skills. 2. What do expectant mothers think about communication in the birth suite? Expectant mothers think that communication in the birth suite is positive from the very first contact and especially emphasize healthcare professionals{\crq} readiness, patience, attentiveness, professionalism and human touch. 3. Do birth assistants have sufficient knowledge and experience of communicating in the birth suite? Birth assistants with ten and more years{\crq} work experience have enough knowledge and experience, whereas birth assistants with a year{\crq}s experience of the birth suite lack the expertise. This work has attempted to shed light on communication by birth assistants. It can serve secondary school and college students and birth assistants and doctors who can use it as a resource and make an assessment of their communication skills and abilities and it can be a source of information to help improve communication by birth assistants