Abstract:

Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the professional belonging of midwives. Material and Method: Descriptive, cross-sectional, study was conducted between 20 March 2021 and 30 May 2021. The principles of the Declaration of Helsinki were followed throughout the research. The sample consisted of 348 midwives who volunteered to participate in the study across Turkey. The data were collected by snowball sampling method using online questionnaires, “Survey Form, and Midwifery Belonging Scale”. Results: The mean age of the midwives participating in the study was 24.54±3.74 and all of them were undergraduate graduates. It was observed that the total mean score of the occupational belonging scale was 96.37±18.22, and there was a significant relationship between the midwives’ finding the profession suitable for themselves and reflecting the problems related to the profession to private life and the scale and all its sub-dimensions (p=0.000). Professional belonging scale mean total score and emotional belonging (r=.914, p=0.000), fulfilling professional roles and responsibilities (r=.914, p=0.000), evaluating professional development and opportunities (r=.914, p=0.000), positive correlation was determined between the sub-dimension mean scores of duty in the profession and limit of authority (r=,783, p=0.000). Conclusion: It was seen that the sense of professional belonging of the midwives participating in the research was very close to the upper limit, and those who voluntarily chose midwifery, those who found the profession suitable for themselves, and those who followed development and scientific activities had higher professional belonging.

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