Midwife
Midwives provide care, education, advice and support to women and their families during pregnancy, labour and birth, and provide post-natal care into the early weeks following birth for women and babies.
Midwives may perform the following tasks:
- provide clinical midwifery care and support for women, their babies and their families
- detect any complications which may develop for a mother and/or her baby
- arrange appropriate consultation and referral, and implement emergency measures when necessary
- work as a part of a multi-disciplinary team, liaising with other healthcare professionals to provide the best care for childbearing women, their babies and families
- observe, monitor, assess, report and document care provided to women and their babies, as well as their responses to treatment
- prescribe and administer medicines to women and their babies as required
- prepare women for operative birth and provide post-operative care
- provide education and advice on health matters for women, their families and the wider community
- answer questions and provide information to women and their families about treatment and care
- contribute to the clinical training of medical, midwifery and other students
- directly supervise other health professionals, such as enrolled nurses, registered nurses and health care assistants who may be included in the care of birthing women and their babies.
Specialisations:
Midwifery Educator
A midwifery educator supports and teaches midwifery students, assists in the development, design, implementation and evaluation of midwifery education and professional development programs, and manages educational resources.
Midwifery Manager
A midwifery manager is responsible for the effective management of staffing, policy and financial resources enabling the provision of safe, cost-effective midwifery care within a specified field or across an entire hospital or health service.
Midwifery Researcher
A midwifery researcher conducts research into all aspects of midwifery care, professional issues affecting midwives and midwifery, maternity service provision and maternal and infant health policy.
Midwifery Unit Manager
A midwifery unit manager is responsible for the coordination and delivery of care in a specific ward or department or in community settings. They work in collaboration with clinical midwives to give care to mothers and babies with complex care needs, facilitate staff development and undertake research.
Midwives usually work according to a rotating 7-day roster which includes morning, afternoon and night shifts, weekends and public holidays. Alternatively, they may work in more flexible models of care that allow them to structure their working hours around the needs of the women they care for. They are often required to work on-call hours.
Personal Requirements:
- good communication skills
- able to assume responsibility and take leadership
- able to take initiative in emergencies
- able to work under pressure
- tolerance and patience in dealing with people from a wide range of backgrounds
- able to work as part of a team
- mentally and physically fit.
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