Providers’ Perceptions of Respectful and Disrespectful Maternity Care at Massachusetts General Hospital
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
3. Results
3.1. Demographics
3.2. Knowledge of Disrespectful Care
3.3. Disrespectful Care Witnessed
“There are times when I feel the language people use, whether intentionally or not, can sound rude and disrespectful.”(Respondent 33)
“Conversations outside of the room about a patient or family member that is judgmental or unkind.”(Respondent 27)
“Adequate consenting by providers for medications and procedures in labor feels inadequate. Many of the information that I hear providers offer to patients during care planning feels incomplete and biased towards what the provider most wants the patient to do/feels most convenient.”(Respondent 16)
“Trying multiple times to place cook balloons on patients who are uncomfortable.”(Respondent 41)
“After traumatic cook balloon placement, MD agreed he wasn’t going to put balloon to tension right away and then pulled balloon so hard that patient had vagal response and prolonged deceleration that resulted in unnecessary intervention and unnecessary emotional and physical trauma to patient.”(Respondent 13)
“Often a lack of respect and consideration of patients whose primary language is not English—increasing volume, not addressing them directly, making side comments to staff.”(Respondent 42)
3.4. Respectful Care Performed
3.5. Stress and Support Factors
4. Conclusions
Supplementary Materials
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Variable | N (%) |
---|---|
Occupation at MGH | |
Nurse | 23 (50.0%) |
Midwife | 8 (17.4%) |
Physician | 15 (32.6%) |
Age | |
Less than 30 years old | 10 (21.7%) |
30–39 years old | 17 (37%) |
40–49 years old | 8 (17.4%) |
50 or older | 11 (23.9%) |
Gender | |
Man | 4 (8.7%) |
Woman | 42 (91.3%) |
Other | 0 (0%) |
Education | |
Associate’s degree or diploma program (e.g., ADN) | 1 (2.2%) |
Bachelor’s degree (e.g., BSN) | 19 (41.3%) |
Master’s degree (e.g., MSN, CNM) | 11 (23.9%) |
Doctorate degree (e.g., MD, DNP) | 15 (32.6%) |
Race | |
Asian or Pacific Islander | 3 (6.5%) |
Black or African American | 3 (6.5%) |
White | 37 (80.4%) |
Multiracial/Other race | 2 (4.3%) |
NA | 1 (2.2%) |
Ethnicity | |
Hispanic or Latino | 3 (6.5%) |
Non-Hispanic or non-Latino | 42 (91.3%) |
NA | 1 (2.2%) |
Years of experience at MGH | |
1–4 years | 27 (58.7%) |
5–9 years | 5 (10.9%) |
10–14 years | 1 (2.2%) |
15+ years | 13 (28.3%) |
Years of experience in obstetric care | |
1–4 years | 18 (39.1%) |
5–9 years | 9 (19.6%) |
10–14 years | 3 (6.5%) |
15+ years | 16 (34.8%) |
Domain of Disrespect | Item | N (%) |
---|---|---|
Verbal disrespect | Dismissing/disbelieving a patient’s reports of pain | 40 (87.0%) |
Scolding | 29 (63.0%) | |
Threatening with unnecessary C-section | 19 (41.3%) | |
Other verbal/psychological disrespect | 19 (41.3%) | |
Derogatory comment | 14 (30.4%) | |
Physical disrespect | Vigorous/uncomfortable vaginal examinations | 30 (65.2%) |
Not allowing patients’ position of choice in birth | 29 (63.0%) | |
Other physical disrespect | 9 (19.6%) | |
Restraining | 4 (8.7%) | |
Privacy violations/Neglect/Unnecessary procedures | Asking private questions in the presence of others | 27 (58.7%) |
Leaving patients unattended for long periods of time | 25 (54.3%) | |
Neglecting a patient | 24 (52.2%) | |
Medically unnecessary C-section | 15 (32.6%) | |
Medically unnecessary episiotomy | 13 (28.3%) | |
Delivery or examination in public | 3 (6.5%) | |
Other disrespectful/abusive actions | 2 (4.3%) | |
Discriminatory care | Discriminatory care based on physical characteristics | 31 (67.4%) |
Discriminatory care based on race | 30 (65.2%) | |
Discriminatory care based on culture | 28 (60.9%) | |
Discriminatory care based on language | 21 (45.7%) | |
Discriminatory care based on age | 20 (43.5%) | |
Discriminatory care based on immigration status | 14 (30.4%) | |
Discriminatory care based on the number of children | 14 (30.4%) | |
Discriminatory care based on socioeconomic status | 13 (28.3%) | |
Discriminatory care based on gender identity or sexual orientation | 12 (26.1%) | |
Discriminatory care based on marital status | 6 (13%) | |
Discriminatory care based on insurance status | 4 (8.7%) | |
Discriminatory care based on other patient characteristics | 3 (6.5%) | |
Performance of procedures without explanation | Artificial rupture of membrane | 18 (39.1%) |
Episiotomy | 16 (34.8%) | |
Stripping membrane | 16 (34.8%) | |
Rectal exam | 11 (23.9%) | |
Vaginal exam | 11 (23.9%) | |
Placement of FSE or IUPC | 10 (21.7%) | |
Placement of Foley catheter | 7 (15.2%) | |
C-section | 6 (13%) | |
Shaving | 6 (13%) | |
Stitching | 5 (10.9%) | |
Placement of the straight catheter | 5 (10.9%) | |
Injection | 4 (8.7%) | |
Use of assistive device for delivery | 3 (6.5%) | |
Blood transfusion | 1 (2.2%) | |
Sterilization | 1 (2.2%) | |
Other procedure | 1 (2.2%) |
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Fachon, K.D.; Truong, S.; Narayan, S.; Buniak, C.D.; Vergara Kruczynski, K.; Cohen, A.; Barbosa, P.; Flynn, A.; Goodman, A. Providers’ Perceptions of Respectful and Disrespectful Maternity Care at Massachusetts General Hospital. Reprod. Med. 2024, 5, 231-242. https://doi.org/10.3390/reprodmed5040020
Fachon KD, Truong S, Narayan S, Buniak CD, Vergara Kruczynski K, Cohen A, Barbosa P, Flynn A, Goodman A. Providers’ Perceptions of Respectful and Disrespectful Maternity Care at Massachusetts General Hospital. Reproductive Medicine. 2024; 5(4):231-242. https://doi.org/10.3390/reprodmed5040020
Chicago/Turabian StyleFachon, Katherine Doughty, Samantha Truong, Sahana Narayan, Christina Duzyj Buniak, Katherine Vergara Kruczynski, Autumn Cohen, Patricia Barbosa, Amanda Flynn, and Annekathryn Goodman. 2024. "Providers’ Perceptions of Respectful and Disrespectful Maternity Care at Massachusetts General Hospital" Reproductive Medicine 5, no. 4: 231-242. https://doi.org/10.3390/reprodmed5040020
APA StyleFachon, K. D., Truong, S., Narayan, S., Buniak, C. D., Vergara Kruczynski, K., Cohen, A., Barbosa, P., Flynn, A., & Goodman, A. (2024). Providers’ Perceptions of Respectful and Disrespectful Maternity Care at Massachusetts General Hospital. Reproductive Medicine, 5(4), 231-242. https://doi.org/10.3390/reprodmed5040020