Anxiety in nurse midwives and non-specialist nurses in the Madrid health service (Spain)

We analyzed state anxiety and trait anxiety in a population of nurses specialising in gynecology and obstetrics (nurse midwives) and a group of generalist nurses. Cross-sectional descriptive study using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory questionnaire (STAI), administered to a group of non-specialist nurses (n=96) and nurse midwives (n=63) who practice in the Madrid Health Service of Spain. State anxiety was similar in generalist nurses and in midwives (5,01±1,62 and 5,17±1,75, respectively). Levels of trait anxiety were lower in nurse midwives (3,46±1,58) than in the non-specialist group (4,36±2,84), with the latter presenting higher levels of habitual anxiety as a personality trait (p=0,013). Nurse midwives may adapt better to the stress derived from their work than generalist nurses. This could be attributed to the greater training and safety that specialties provide for the development of nursing care functions.