Vicarious Birth Trauma Essay

Student Midwives Experiencing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Through Vicarious Birth Trauma
In this article, the effect of vicarious birth trauma connects to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder as it relates to student midwives. The research focused on how the effect of trauma is processed, areas for further education, along with ways to help student midwives better cope with the trauma and be successful in their chosen profession.

What is Vicarious Birth Trauma?
Most have heard of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD. Cooper & Gosnell (2015) define it as “a response to an intensely traumatic experience beyond the usual range of human experiences” (p. 1113). Some of the signs and symptoms people experience after a disturbing event are “avoidance, depression, flashbacks, illusions, anxiety, and/or staying alert all the time” to name a few (Power & Mullan, 2017, p. 800). Student midwives have stated to have suffered similar symptoms after experiencing a traumatic birth while in the clinical setting. The phenomenon is known as vicarious birth trauma and can be felt by “those who witness the birth, such as midwives, student midwives, obstetricians and birth partners”

These students are beside the mother during every step of her labor and delivery, and when the mother suffers a traumatic event sometimes the midwives are affected. As a future nurse, it is important not only to notice the signs and symptoms of PTSD in any patient, but to say something and document it. Just mentioning a difference in demeanor may be all it takes for them to speak freely. Sometimes it takes more than one or two times for offered help to be accepted. In practice with patients, this future nurse will draw upon the knowledge of the charge nurse, the social workers, and providers, together a positive solution can be