Ep 26. Sabine Fürst - "She's just a midwife"
In this episode, I’m joined by Sabine, a former midwife and flight attendant turned consultant, as we explore the hidden human factors at play in healthcare, specifically in the labour ward. Sabine’s research shines a light on the power dynamics between midwives and obstetricians, how professional identity shapes behaviour, and why normality and safety are not the same thing. We discuss how discourse, accountability and silos influence teamwork, often leaving women disempowered despite the best intentions of professionals. Whether you work in healthcare, safety or corporate teams, there is so much to take from this conversation about human factors and how culture is co-created.
Sabine shares the personal story behind the phrase ‘she’s just a midwife’, how it ignited her research, and why language like this matters. We also talk about the creative ways professionals navigate control and power, why team education still comes too late, and how cross-disciplinary conversations can help break silos.
Connect with Sabine:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabine-f%C3%BCrst-1487891a8/
Resources Mentioned
- The Lancet Editorial on Empowering Women During Childbirth
Read it here - WHO: Labour Care Guide – The Next Generation Partograph
Read the publication
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Transforming teams. Unlocking human potential.
Using principles from Human Factors (HF), High-Reliability Organisations (HRO), and Human and Organisational Performance (HOP), we develop and deliver highly immersive and impactful programmes using the High-Velocity Learning LAB (HVLL) concept. We give you the know-how, the tools and the support to make results stick and empower your people to achieve the extraordinary. We help you answer the question "How do we uncover those hidden stories in our organisation?"
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