title: Professional relationships between midwives and physicians: collaboration or conflict?
abstract: This study examines the professional relationships between midwives and physicians providing obstetrical care in Washington State. Four hundred ninety-six randomly sampled family physicians and obstetrician-gynecologists and 211 certified nurse, licensed, and lay midwives were surveyed to learn more about midwife/physician consulting relationships. Only certified nurse midwives have forged mutually satisfactory relationships with the physician community. Increased hospital-based training and practice opportunities are needed before licensed midwives can improve their professional relationships with physicians.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle 98195.
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Baldwin
authors.forename: H L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Hutchinson
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Rosenblatt
mesh_terms: D002568:Certification; D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005194:Family Practice; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D008008:Licensure, Nursing; D008880:Midwifery / Q000193:education / Q000592:standards; D009721:Nurse Midwives / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology* / Q000592:standards; D009774:Obstetrics; D010348:Patient Care Team; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology*; D011365:Professional Practice Location / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012424:Rural Population; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D014505:Urban Population; D014861:Washington