| Summary: | Neðst á síðunni er að nálgast greinina í heild sinni með því að smella á hlekkinn View/Open This article is about continuity of care within midwifery. The concept is examined as well as the organisation of different continuity schemes. Advantages and disadvantages, mainly from the perspective of midwives are explored. The article is based on the literature review chapter of my masters research from 1999 together with the conclusions of that research and some new literature from the last five years. The topic of the research was the attitudes and willingness of Icelandic midwives towards working within continuity of carer service. The sample was midwives working at the Women´s Unit of the University Hospital of Iceland, where it had been decided to form a group of midwives practising continuity of carer. A team of midwives practising continuity of care exsisted at the hospital since 1994 (MFS). A questionnaire was sent to midwives working at the hospital since the new group would constitute midwives working there. The midwives were asked about their attitudes and willingness to work within continuity of carer and the results linked to background information such as age, marital position, number and age of children, education and experience (Ólafsdóttir, 1999). The experience of the continuity of care groups during the last ten years has been positive and the midwives have to deny many women access each month because they are fully booked. This satisfaction with care of models offering continuity of care is in accordance with other research (Biro et al 2003; Brown & Lumley 1994; McCourt & Page 1996; van Teijlingen et al 2003). Continuity schemes have positive effects on midwives´ job satisfaction, where the most influential factors are the relationship between the woman and her midwife, better use of their skills and knowledge, control over time and work. However some of the midwives quit continuity of care schemes because they find the on call system too binding and stressful (Allen et al 1997; Green et ...
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