title: A concept analysis of proactive behaviour in midwifery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report an analysis of the concept of proactive behaviour and apply the findings to midwifery.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Proactive behaviour is a universal phenomenon generalizable to multiple professions. The purpose of this work was to establish a link with midwifery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Concept analysis by Walker and Avant's method.
  
  
  METHODS
  Literature was searched in PubMed, ERIC, NARCIS, Emerald and reference lists of related journal articles with a timeline of 1990 - April 2015 in the period of November 2014 - June 2015. Next key words were combined by the use of Boolean operators: 'proactive behaviour', 'midwifery', 'midwife', 'proactivity' and 'proactive'. Fifteen studies were included.
  
  
  METHODS
  A focused review of scientific publications in midwifery, health care, healthcare education and social sciences, which highlighted the concept of proactive behaviour.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the studied literature, several attributes of proactive behaviour were cited. These attributes were narrowed by applying it on a midwifery model case, borderline case and contrary case. Related concepts were elaborated and distinguished of the concept of proactive behaviour in midwifery. Proactive behaviour is triggered by different individual and contextual antecedents and has consequences at multiple levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A midwife who behaves proactive would not look at changes as a boundary, persistently improves things she experienced as wrong, anticipates future barriers and looks for viable alternatives to carry out her work as efficiently and effectively as possible. Various individual and/or contextual antecedents trigger proactive behaviour in midwifery, and this behaviour could cause multiple future benefits for the constant evolving reproductive health care.
authors.affiliation: Bachelor in Midwifery, Department of Health and Social Work, Artesis Plantijn University College, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: Eveline
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mestdagh
authors.affiliation: Bachelor in Midwifery, Department of Health and Social Work, Artesis Plantijn University College, Antwerp, Belgium.|Centre for Research and Innovation in Care, University Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: Bart
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Van Rompaey
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, The Free University of Brussels, Elsene, Belgium.|Social Health Services, University Hospital, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Katrien
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Beeckman
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research and Innovation in Care, University Antwerp, Belgium.|Bachelor in Midwifery, Faculty of Health and Social Work, research unit Healthy Living, UC Leuven-Limburg, Belgium.
authors.forename: Annick
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bogaerts
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research and Innovation in Care, University Antwerp, Belgium.|HZ University of Applied Sciences, Vlissingen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Olaf
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Timmermans
mesh_terms: D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D008880:Midwifery; D011247:Pregnancy
keywords: Walker and Avant; concept analysis; focus on improving quality; midwifery; organizational success; proactive behaviour