I would like to add my support to your letter. To expect 1 midwife to care for 10
women and 10 babies on night shift is to
continue to undermine the importance of post-natal care. With the introduction of
short stay, the time that women have a
midwife to support them has already been decreased. Babies do not stop breast feeding
overnight and mothers do not stop
learning skills because it is dark.
Sally Westbury
Midwife
>The Australian College of Midwives Incorporated, Victorian Branch is
>appalled at the agreed upon ratios for midwives negotiated by the
>Australian Nurses Federation - Victorian Branch.
>
>The ANF believes that satisfactory care can be provided for women during
>pregnancy and childbirth with the following ratios.
>
>Morning shift: 1 midwife to 5 antenatal or postnatal women
>Afternoon shift: 1 midwife to 6 antenatal or postnatal women
>Night shift: 1 midwife to 10 antenatal or postnatal women.
>
>Midwives will be expected to care for 1.5 labouring women.
>
>To agree that midwives can adequately care for 1.5 women in labour
>undermines not only the profession but the very essence of women and
>families. What is important to the ANF - obviously not midwives or women
>and their families.
>
>It is well established that women have better outcomes, less intervention
>rates and greater satisfaction when they receive one on one care during
>labour. When caring for postnatal women midwives also provide care for
>their babies - in effect the ANF supports midwives caring for 20 clients
>(mothers and babies) overnight!
>
>Midwifery is facing a workforce crisis. Currently within this country it
>takes at least 5 years to become a midwife - the longest education
>timeframe for midwives in the world. The workforce is aging, we are not
>recruiting nor are we retaining midwives to ensure a safe level of care for
>women in this country. Ratios such as these will do little to relieve the
>midwifery workforce crisis.
>
>The introduction of the above ratios by the ANF, without consultation of
>the professional organisation (ACMI Vic Branch), makes a mockery of what
>many midwives believed would be better working conditions and a subsequent
>improvement in care for women.
>
>The ACMI Vic Branch demands the ANF Vic Branch continue negotiations on
>behalf of midwives. ANF accepts membership fees from midwives but is
>obviously not representing them on industrial issues - what members pay
>their fees for.
>
>The ACMI Vic Branch urges midwives and mothers to contact the ANF voicing
>their concern about the negotiated ratios.
>
>Contact ACMI Vic Branch on 9349 1110 or me on 5444 7546 to voice your
>concerns.
>
>
>Fran Sheean
>President
>ACMI Vic Branch.
>
>
>
>
>
>Fran Sheean
>Lecturer in Midwifery and Nursing
>School of Health and Environment
>La Trobe University, Bendigo
>PO Box 199
>Bendigo 3552
>
>Phone +61 (0) 3 5444 7546
>Fax +61 (0) 3 5444 7977
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