Effective communication is crucial for midwives in building rapport, supporting clients, and ensuring safe, ethical, and evidence-based care. Key aspects of effective communication include engaging in active listening, using clear and concise language, providing compassionate empathy, and adapting communication styles to meet the needs of your clients and colleagues. Midwives should also prioritize building trust through communication by ensuring patients understand their choices and procedures.
The College regularly receives complaints from clients about midwives’ communication. Often, it’s not the words themselves that lead to the concern, but how those words or actions were experienced by the client or their loved ones. Effective communication lies at the core of expectations for safe and ethical care, and the Professional Standards for Midwives sets out the expectation that midwives must act with integrity and professionalism and provide person-centred care at all times.
Here’s a more detailed look at effective communication tips for midwives:
Building Rapport and Trust
Related Professional Standards:
14. Listen to clients and provide information in ways they can understand.
15. Support clients to be active participants in managing their own health and the health of their newborns.
- Active Listening. Pay close attention to clients’ verbal and nonverbal cues, allowing them to express their fears, concerns, and experiences.
- Authentic Communication. Be genuine and transparent in your interactions, fostering trust and open communication.
- Clear and Concise Language. Use common terms and avoid medical jargon, ensuring clients understand information and can make informed decisions. Always use correct terminology when describing human anatomy and physiological processes. Recognize changes in your communication related to the clinical situation and adjust your tone if necessary to remain calm and professional during urgent situations.
- Nonverbal Communication. Be aware of your body language and how it may be perceived, using positive and non-threatening gestures.
- Shared Decision-Making. Involve clients in decision-making processes by asking questions, taking time, and empowering them to feel in control of their care. If a conflict of opinion arises, or if tensions emerge, take a breath. A moment of pause can prevent unintended consequences in your communication style.
Effective Information Delivery
Related Professional Standards:
16. Recognize clients as the primary decision-makers and provide informed choice in all aspects of care by:
16.1. providing information so that clients are informed when making decisions about their care
16.2. advising clients about the nature of any proposed treatment, including the expected benefits, material risks and side effects, alternative courses of action, and likely consequences of not having the treatment
16.3. making efforts to understand and appreciate what is motivating clients’ choices
16.4. allowing clients adequate time for decision-making
16.5. ensuring treatment is only provided with the client’s informed and voluntary consent unless otherwise permitted by law
16.6. supporting clients’ rights to accept or refuse treatment
16.7. respecting the degree to which clients want to be involved in decisions about their care.
- Clear Explanations and Visual Aids. Provide comprehensive and easy-to-understand explanations of procedures, risks, and benefits of different birthing options. Consider using diagrams, pictures, or other visual aids to help clients understand complex information.
- Open-Ended Questions. Encourage clients to elaborate on their experiences and concerns by asking open-ended questions.
- Reflective Statements. Paraphrase what clients have said to ensure understanding and demonstrate active listening.
- Document Visit Summaries. Summarize key points and next steps at the end of each visit to reinforce information and ensure clarity. This is also useful as a reference for previous discussions.
- Be Aware of Power Dynamics and Practice Cultural Safety. What feels neutral or routine to you may carry more emotional weight for the client. Be mindful of cultural differences and adapt communication styles to meet the individual needs of each client.
- Recognize how Fatigue and Stress may Impact your Communication Style. Our communication styles can change, and our patience can be lower when we’re hungry, fatigued, or stressed. If you find yourself impacted by fatigue, stress, or hunger, take a pause to take care of your needs.
Communication with Health Care Teams
Related Professional Standards
26. Collaborate with the most responsible provider (MRP), after a transfer of care, to
provide care that is in the best interest of the client.
29. Provide complete and accurate client information to the consultant at the time of
consultation or transfer of care.
32. Conduct yourself in a way that promotes clients’ trust in you and the public’s trust
in the midwifery profession.
- Effective Handover Communication and Collaborative Care. Ensure clear and concise communication between different health care team members, including nurses, obstetricians, and other professionals before, during, and after a transfer of care.Work collaboratively with other health care professionals to ensure a cohesive approach to client safety and quality of care.
- Document and Debrief. Accurately and thoroughly document all communications and decisions, ensuring a clear record of client care. If a conversation becomes sensitive or challenging, make a clear, objective note of what was said and how you responded. Debrief conflicts or points of disagreement in a neutral setting at an appropriate time to share understanding and build collaboration.
Moving Forward: Professional Development Opportunity
By being thoughtful in your communication—especially in moments of stress or tension—you can prevent misunderstandings, support safe client experiences, and may avoid formal complaints.
While an allegation of rudeness or unprofessionalism might not seem, on its own, to pose a broad risk to public safety, it can impact a client greatly. In some cases, the conduct may be viewed as professional misconduct if the comment rises to the level of verbal or emotional abuse, or conduct that may be viewed as dishonourable, disgraceful, or unprofessional.
If you are looking for professional development activities to include in your Professional Development Portfolio, exploring resources that strengthen communication skills, such as courses, workshops, or self-directed learning, can be a meaningful way to support respectful, client-centered care (and may even help prevent future complaints).
Midwives: Call to Action
Investing in communication skills isn’t just about avoiding complaints, it’s about building trust and creating safe, respectful care environments for every client. By implementing these tips, midwives can improve client communication, build strong relationships, and ultimately enhance the quality and safety of care.