Italian midwives in Europe: a qualitative study on the experiences of professional migration

Aim. To explore the reasons for Italian midwives’ decision to migrate, and their lived professional andemotional experiences.Methods. A descriptive phenomenological study was conducted recruiting Italian midwives who wereworking abroad in European countries. We offered a telephone or web interview. Two researchers conducted,audio-recorded, and fully transcribed the interviews and other two researchers, independently, performeda content analysis.Results. Thirty-two midwives having professional experiences in the UK, Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, andSpain were interviewed. Five themes emerged: 1) Education, 2) Migration decision-making, 3) Professionalexperience abroad, 4) Midwives’ perceptions of their role, 5) Satisfaction versus desire to return. Our findingsshow a general dissatisfaction with Italian job opportunities in terms both of access to employment and workconditions. This scenario is complicated by the status of the professional midwifery in Italy.Conclusion. Stakeholders should ensure that the migration of Italian midwives is not synonymous withdispersion but is a channel of professional growth and mutual exchange.