Bridging Perspectives, Building Resilience: Safety-II Guided Reflexive Dialogues Between Care Professionals and Clients as Part of Developing Integrated Maternity Care

Abstract

Background: Limitations of traditional structures and approaches to further enhance patient safety, satisfaction, and systemic sustainability in healthcare, are becoming increasingly visible. Embedding reflexivity is a proposed strategy to promote progress. We aimed to explore the potential of creating reflexive spaces for promoting integration and client-centeredness in maternity care specifically. Methods: In this participatory action research (PAR), two multidisciplinary and multiorganizational groups of maternity care professionals and clients (n = 28) from two Dutch regions, participated in ‘reflexive dialogues’. Cases were discussed from a Safety-II perspective. In total, 22 meetings took place from 2020–2022, mostly online. Additionally, 23 participants were interviewed. Data were audio-recorded, transcribed, and thematically analyzed. Findings: Participants were generally positive about the reflexive dialogues and Safety-II approach. They felt both safe and challenged to critically reflect on their own and each other’s care practices. Exchanging perspectives, experiences, and approaches fostered trust, well-being, and repertoire, and through this, resilience. Conclusions: By structurally stimulating, facilitating, and embedding Safety-II guided reflexive dialogues between professionals and clients from multiple organizations and disciplines, healthcare leaders could promote resilience and reinforce the transformation towards integrated, relation-centered maternity care.

Keywords

• integrated maternity care
• participatory action research
• reflexivity
• dialogue
• resilience
• relation-centered care
• safety-ii