Assertive Communication and Responding to Distress
With Emma and Ethan, Academic Skills Specialist
Key Takeaways
- Assertiveness means expressing your views, concerns, or needs clearly and respectfully — without being passive or aggressive.
- In midwifery, it means advocating for a woman's needs even when that's uncomfortable, and speaking up in a team when something concerns you.
- Students sometimes stay silent when they observe something wrong, or fail to ask questions for fear of seeming incompetent.
- But silence in those moments can harm patients.
- Use I-statements rather than accusations.
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Full Transcript
Emma: In this episode we're looking at Assertive Communication and Responding to Distress. I'm Emma, and with me is Ethan, our Academic Skills Specialist. Ethan, what does assertiveness mean in a professional care context?
Ethan: Assertiveness means expressing your views, concerns, or needs clearly and respectfully — without being passive or aggressive. In midwifery, it means advocating for a woman's needs even when that's uncomfortable, and speaking up in a team when something concerns you.
Emma: Why is assertiveness particularly important for student midwives or newly qualified professionals?
Ethan: Hierarchy can be intimidating. Students sometimes stay silent when they observe something wrong, or fail to ask questions for fear of seeming incompetent. But silence in those moments can harm patients. Assertiveness is a patient safety skill.
Emma: How do you assert yourself respectfully when you disagree with a senior colleague?
What should learners understand about assertive communication and responding to distress?
Ethan: Use I-statements rather than accusations. Tools like SBAR — Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation — give you a structured, professional way to raise concerns without sounding confrontational.
Emma: What does distress look like in a woman during labour or postnatal care?
Ethan: It can be obvious — crying, shaking, becoming withdrawn — or very subtle, like a woman going very quiet, giving one-word answers, or avoiding eye contact. Midwives need to tune into these cues, not just the verbal content.
Emma: How should a midwife respond when they recognise distress?
Ethan: Acknowledge it first. Simply saying 'I can see this feels really overwhelming — you're safe, I'm here' can dramatically reduce a woman's anxiety. Do not rush to fix it or fill the silence with clinical tasks.
What should learners understand about assertive communication and responding to distress?
Emma: Are there situations where distress requires escalation beyond what the midwife can manage?
Ethan: Yes. If a woman is expressing thoughts of self-harm or is in acute emotional shock following a bereavement like a stillbirth, a specialist — a mental health midwife or psychologist — should be involved promptly.
Emma: A powerful note to close on. Thanks, Ethan.
Ethan: Thanks, Emma. Assertiveness and emotional attunement together make for a midwife who is both safe and deeply human.