We celebrate the International Day of the Midwife (IDM) on Thursday 5 May. This day provides an opportunity to recognise the hard work and dedication of midwives globally, including the 600 midwives at Monash Health.
At Monash Health, our midwifery team is at the forefront of improved health outcomes for women, their babies, and their families with over 10,000 women being cared for across our maternity service.
The theme for this year’s International Day of the Midwife is ‘Celebrating 100 Years of Progress’ and acknowledges the contribution that our wonderful midwives make to our patients and the wider community. This milestone year provides an opportunity to explore the achievements and progress made as individuals and as a collective over the last century.
It also allows us to recognise the breadth and depth of midwifery contributions, not only to women and families, but also in advocating for women when they do not have a voice.
Karen Taylor, Midwife Manager Birth Suite and Pregnancy Assessment Unit (PAU), and NAMAS nominee is the Midwife Manager of Clayton Birth Suites and has held various roles with Monash Health since 1998. She reflects on what being a midwife means, particularly on the International Day of the Midwife.
“It is about celebrating connection with women and having that unique permission to be part of such an important time of life. We are with women, supporting them during their birthing journey and enabling them to have the outcome they want,” Karen states.
Advancements in midwifery
Karen looks back at the change in the profession and notes that there have been many advancements, which enable more women to conceive and carry to term in the high-risk population, as well as the technological advancements.
“We have seen the introduction of wireless and central monitoring to allow women to receive the best quality of care for mother and baby. The use of Telehealth as a service in pregnancy care, has also been vital, particularly to engage with the community during the COVID-19 pandemic,” she said.
As a leader, she makes a point of acknowledging the work of her team.
“Over the last two years, there have been challenges, but our amazing midwifery and medical team have adapted the way we provide care and found new ways to do things.”
“It is important to set a positive culture and keep our teams engaged in what we do. We also need to ensure that our employees feel supported and that they are provided with the opportunity to grow during their career with Monash Health,” she states.
Our midwives play a vital role in delivering care and we celebrate our nominees for the Nursing and Midwifery Awards and Scholarship (NAMAS). We wish all of our NAMAS nominees the best of luck.
The NAMAS Awards will be hosted Thursday 12 May. Join us from 1.30pm via Webex. We encourage you to join us and celebrate all our nurses and midwives.
Approved by Katrina Nankervis