Second Victims in Maternity Care – The Hidden Fallout of Parental Birth Plans

Abstract

In an era in which we strive for patient-centred care and shared-decision making, it is important to still consider provider perceptions and attitudes toward birth plans. In this case report, we describe maternity care providers as the Second Victim when non-standard birth plans are enacted and discuss the emotional and psychological turmoil of forced professional passivity. We present the fallout of contemporary, patient-empowered decision-making when a mother’s right to refuse care recommendations is inviolate. Care providers have become unable to do what they know they should; the things they are trained for and know are expected of them by peers and principles of best practice, and yet, by default, must still participate, and share responsibility for whatever outcome ensues.