Emotional Intelligence and Midwife Practice There are many different kinds of knowledge and intelligence, and while scientific/medical knowledge is often considered paramount in pregnancy and birthing scenarios another kind of intelligence can actually be just as important, if not more so. Though there is some controversy over the exact definition and use of the term, emotional intelligence -- which can be basically understood as the ability to recognize and effectively respond to the emotions of others and of oneself -- has been recognized as a very useful and even necessary asset and knowledge area in many endeavors (Matthews et al., 2004; Wharam, 2009). A high level of emotional intelligence, which is to some degree inborn but which can also be achieved through practice, conscious awareness, and increasing openness and receptiveness, can ease many situations and lead to more comprehensive and effective decision-making (Wharam, 2009). There are also many aspects of midwifery and specific scenarios of midwife practice in which a high emotional intelligence is specifically desirable.

Every midwife career has moments of success and failure, and both provide opportunities for learning, yet it is an incident of the latter type that I found especially illuminating when it comes to the importance of emotional intelligence in midwife practice. Even emotions that are generally seen as positive...

Emotional intelligence does not mean merely being able to access emotions, but to make effective decisions in light of -- and sometimes in spite of -- emotions and emotional responses. Though the situation was ultimately resolved satisfactorily, a more objective decision would have resolved things faster, and a higher level of emotional intelligence would perhaps have enabled me to make this effective and objective decision even with the emotional attachment I felt.
John's model of reflection, through its phases of identifying the influencing factors, determining alternative courses of action, learning, describing, and finally reflecting on the event, identifies many concepts worthy of reflection stemming form this incident (Johns, 2009; Johns & Joiner, 2002). For one, there is the importance in simply recognizing the emotional relationships and attachments that can form during the practice of midwifery and the potential effects these relationships and emotions can have on this practice, which structured reflection shows can be quite extensive and are in fact completely unavoidable to a degree (Johns, 2009). It is also not necessarily desirable for these attachments to be eliminated even if this…