Stres in work midwife on obstetric auditorium.

Stress in the profession of the Nurse-Midwife at the delivery room is the subject of my bachelor{\crq}s thesis. Working in the healthcare sector is generally considered to be of high-risk. Apart from a large number of adverse physical, chemical and microbiological factors that have impact on the nurse´s work, significant mental strain - stress represents the highest risk factor. Nurse-Midwives working at the delivery room face daily this emotional and mental strain. This strain results particularly from the profession intensity itself and the notion connected with their responsibility for both the health of a woman in labour and a new-born. The contact with women in labour, in particular, those having any problems, is regarded as stressful. The stress resulting from work has ceased to be a uniquely occurred phenomenon, representing a personal problem. Stress arising out the execution of the profession of Nurse-Midwife has become a global phenomenon, including a combination of stress factors that cumulate in the course of time. The objective of my work has been based on these facts. Aims of my investigation are to define the rate of stress effecting nurse-midwifes and to find out main factors causing the stress to nurse-midwives during their work at the delivery room. In order to find out these aims, two hypotheses were determined, based on which a combined questionnaire and interview method has been selected. The questionnaire focused on finding out the most frequent causes of the stress, rate of stress and the stress management. The questionnaire consisted of 31 questions in total. Nurse-midwives working at the deliver room were the respondent group. Total of 80 questionnaires were distributed with the 78% response rate. Two interviews were conducted to complete the research. One of them was with an experienced nurse-midwife and the other one with a nurse-midwife who has been working at the delivery room for three years. The research was carried out in four hospitals. Results of the research confirmed the hypotheses. The first hypothesis presumed that nurse-midwives working at the delivery room were excessively exposed to stress and stressful situations. This presumption was confirmed. In reply to questions regarding experiencing the stress or questions indirectly covering this issue, more than 50% respondents always confirmed that they experienced the stress. The second hypothesis presumed that the nature of their fitful work was the most frequent cause of the stress. This hypothesis was confirmed by 72% of respondents as their most frequent cause of the stress in their work; high work load during their shift and impending complications during the delivery represent other stress factors in 61% of respondents. Two interviews were conducted as part of the research, also conforming the presence of the stress during the execution of the Nurse-Midwife profession. The research has brought evidence that nurse-midwives working at the delivery room experience stressful situations and in some cases it happens very frequently