In this reflection essay sample, we explore not just the art of midwifery, but the heart and soul of public health promotion within it.

PUBLIC HEALTH IN MIDWIFERY: A REFLECTION

Introduction

Public health promotion is critical in midwifery practice (Soucy et al., 2023). It ensures that mothers and newborns receive best clinical outcomes (Smith et al., 2017). As such, midwives must understand the principles and practices of public health promotion. This knowledge enables midwives to work with mothers, families, and communities to improve their health and well-being (De Leo et al., 2019; McLellan et al., 2019). This reflection focuses on my experience of developing a health promotion poster for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) using the Gibbs reflective model. It will explore the importance of effective communication and collaboration. It also outlines the significance of using health promotion models in promoting midwifery practice. Additionally, it evaluates the influence of psychological, social, cultural, political, and economic factors on women and their families.

Reflection is an essential component of professional development in midwifery practice (Koshy et al., 2017). It enables midwives to examine their practice, identify areas for improvement, and take action to enhance their skills and knowledge (Sweet et al., 2019). Reflective practice also provides midwives with an opportunity to learn from their experiences (Sweet et al., 2019). It integrates new knowledge and skills into their practice and improves the quality of care they provide (Sweet et al., 2019). I have selected Gibbs’ reflective model for this evaluation.  It consists of six stages, which are description, feelings, evaluation, analysis, conclusion, and action plan (Gibbs, 1988). This model provides a structured approach to reflection. As such, it facilitates the evaluation of experiences and development of actionable insights for application in future practices (Gibbs, 1988).

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Description

The task of developing a health promotion poster was an opportunity to raise awareness about a critical public health issue affecting infants. Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the sudden and unexpected death of a baby under one year of age (Jullien, 2021). It is the leading cause of infant mortality in developed countries (Osei-Poku et al., 2021). As such, healthcare organizations prioritize promoting the use of safe sleep practices to reduce the risk of SIDS. As part of the development process, I worked with a team of health promotion specialists who were responsible for developing and implementing health campaigns. The team was made up of individuals with skill sets. These skills include graphic design, content development, and project management. We had regular team meetings to discuss the progress of the project (Persson et al., 2021). During the meetings, we shared ideas on how to improve the poster’s content and design.

However, we encountered challenges that tested our teamwork and communication skills. For instance, we had to balance the workload of the different team members. We ensured that team members had equal shares of the responsibilities (Rosen et al., 2018). Also, we communicated effectively to ensure that team members understood the project’s objectives and goals (Schilling et al., 2022). There were significant technical difficulties that arose during the project’s execution. For example, we initially faced difficulties with incorporating the relevant information into the poster design in a visually appealing and easy to read manner. However, we overcome these challenges by working collaboratively (Schmutz et al., 2018). This teamwork enabled us to develop a poster that effectively communicated the key messages about SIDS prevention.

The experience of working with the team had a positive impact on my professional development. It taught me the importance of teamwork and communication in achieving a common goal (Rosen et al., 2018). I realized that working collaboratively leads to a more effective and efficient outcome than working alone (Rosen et al., 2018). Additionally, working in a team environment enabled me to learn new skills from my colleagues such as graphic design and project management. These skills are essential since I can use them in my future projects. This experience had a positive impact on my professional development. It taught me the importance of teamwork and communication in achieving a collective objective (Rosen et al., 2018).

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Feelings

Throughout the process, I experienced a range of emotions. At first, I felt overwhelmed and unsure about where to start. I was unsure if I had the necessary skills to create an effective poster. This was due to my limited experience in health promotion and graphic design. However, I began to feel more confident in my abilities after delving deeper into the topic. I found the research process to be enjoyable and engaging. During this process, I learned more about the risk factors and prevention strategies for SIDS. I was motivated by the idea that the poster we were creating could raise awareness SIDS and potentially save lives.

As the project progressed, I experienced a range of emotions related to teamwork and communication. At times, I felt frustrated by the workload and the pressure of meeting deadlines. I also felt uncertain about how to communicate effectively with my team members. The team members had different skill sets and perspectives (Gander et al., 2022). However, I recognized that these challenges were an opportunity to develop my communication and teamwork skills. In addition, I experienced a sense of satisfaction by seeing the project take shape. Seeing the information and graphics come together and communicate the key messages about SIDS prevention effectively was rewarding.

However, I felt a sense of pressure to ensure that the final product was quality and would be well-received by the target audience. In reflection, I believe that my initial feelings of inadequacy and uncertainty were due to inexperience in health promotion and graphic design. However, I engaged with the research process and collaborated with my team members (Anderson et al., 2021). This enabled me to overcome the feelings and develop the necessary skills to contribute effectively to the project. Regardless, I developed positive emotions such as enjoyment and satisfaction. These emotions emerged from my sense of purpose and motivation to contribute to a critical public health issue. I believe that having a sense of purpose and meaning in an individual’s work is essential for achieving job satisfaction and personal fulfillment.

The negative emotions I experienced such as frustration and pressure were due to the challenges inherent in the project’s development process. Challenges such as workload and communication difficulties are common in team-based projects (Zajac et al., 2021). However, they are an opportunity to develop communication and teamwork skills. These skills are valuable in future projects. On that note, the process of developing a health promotion poster for SIDS was an emotional journey. It taught me valuable lessons about communication, teamwork, and personal growth. These lessons and experiences enable me to develop a greater appreciation for the importance of preparedness and teamwork in achieving a common goal... Read more

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Reference List

Abebe, H., Beyene, G.A. and Mulat, B.S., 2021. Harmful cultural practices during perinatal period and associated factors among women of childbearing age in Southern Ethiopia: community based cross-sectional study. PloS One, 16(7), pp.1-14. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0254095

Ackley, B.J., Ladwig, G.B., Makic, M.B.F., Martinez-Kratz, M.R. and Zanotti, M., 2021. Nursing diagnosis handbook (12th ed.). London: Elsevier Health Sciences.

Ahn, Y.M., Yang, K.M., Ha, H.I. and Cho, J.A., 2021. Cultural variation in factors associated with sudden infant death during sleep. BMC Pediatrics, 21(1), pp.443-456. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-021-02894-8

Anderson, J.E., Lavelle, M. and Reedy, G., 2021. Understanding adaptive teamwork in health care: progress and future directions. Journal of Health Services Research & Policy, 26(3), pp.208–214. https://doi.org/10.1177/1355819620978436