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

To explore the reasons for Italian midwives' decision to migrate, and their lived professional and emotional experiences. A descriptive phenomenological study was conducted recruiting Italian midwives who were working 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, performed a content analysis. Thirty-two midwives having professional experiences in the UK, Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, and Spain were interviewed. Five themes emerged: 1) Education, 2) Migration decision-making, 3) Professional experience abroad, 4) Midwives' perceptions of their role, 5) Satisfaction versus desire to return. Our findings show a general dissatisfaction with Italian job opportunities in terms both of access to employment and work conditions. This scenario is complicated by the status of the professional midwifery in Italy. Stakeholders should ensure that the migration of Italian midwives is not synonymous with dispersion but is a channel of professional growth and mutual exchange.