Staff Midwife

Key Responsibilities Professional Responsibilities The Staff Midwife will: Practice Midwifery according to the Code of Professional Conduct as laid down by An Bord Altranais agus Cnimhseachais na hireann Nursing and Midwifery Board of Irelandand Professional Clinical Guidelines Comply with national, regional and local Health Service Executive (HSE) guidelines, policies, protocols and legislation Work within their scope of practice and take measures to develop and maintain the competence necessary for professional practice Maintain a high standard of professional behaviour and be accountable for their practice Be aware of ethical policies and procedures which pertain to their area of practice Respect and maintain the privacy, dignity and confidentiality of the patient Follow appropriate lines of authority within the Midwifery Management structure Clinical Practice The Staff Midwife will: Fulfil their statutory obligations within the legislation and HSE policies as appropriate to the role Deliver midwifery care to women and babies according to best practice / evidence based framework Practice midwifery in a manner in which the promotion of normality is the philosophy underpinning midwifery care during the preconceptual, antenatal, intrapartum and postnatal periods Fulfil their obligation with regard to the registration and notification of births Be familiar with international, national and local policies, services and resources relating to women who are experiencing a violation to their human rights e.g. domestic abuse and Female Genital Mutilation Manage a caseload as required Promote the health, welfare and social wellbeing of all women and babies Actively participate as a multi-disciplinary / inter -disciplinary team member in all aspects of service delivery including case conferences, clinical meetings, team meetings Assess, plan, implement and evaluate individual person centred care programmes within an agreed framework and in accordance with policies procedures and guidelines and established best practice Develop and promote good interpersonal relationships with patients, their family / social network supports and the multi-disciplinary care team in the promotion of patient centred care Endeavour to ensure that care is carried out in an empathetic and ethical manner and that the dignity, spiritual needs and individuality of the patient is respected Promote and recognise the patients' social and cultural dimensions of care Collaborate and work closely with the woman, their family, the multi-disciplinary team, external agencies and services to facilitate discharge planning, continuity of care and specific care requirements Provide education and information to the woman, their family as required and be an advocate for the individual patient and for their family Report and consult with senior midwifery management on clinical issues as appropriate Maintain appropriate and accurate written midwifery records and reports regarding women / patient care in accordance with local / national / professional and confidentiality guidelines Participate in innovation and change management in the approach to patient care delivery particularly in relation to new research findings, evidence based practice and advances in treatments Participate in clinical audit and review Participate in community needs assessment and ongoing community involvement Undertake the role of key worker as co-ordinator as part of the primary care team as required Promote a positive health concept with patients and colleagues and contribute to health promotion and disease prevention initiatives as outlined by the Health Service Executive Delegate and supervise the work of other grades of Midwifery and Midwifery support staff within the remit of their role, as appropriate Refer patients to other services as required Initiate and undertake approved clinical midwifery research Participate in national code of discharge planning Have a working knowledge of the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) Standards as they apply to the role for example, Standards for Healthcare, National Standards for the Prevention and Control of Healthcare Associated Infections, Hygiene Standards etc Clinical Governance The Staff Midwife will: Participate in clinical governance structures within the local / regional / national clinical governance framework Have a working knowledge of HIQA standards as they apply to the role/care setting, for example, Standards for Healthcare, National Standards for the Prevention and Control of Healthcare Associated Infections, Hygiene Standards etc. Contribute to ongoing monitoring, audit and evaluation of the service as appropriate Accurately record and report all complaints to appropriate personnel according to local service policy Participate in the development of policies / procedures and guidelines to support compliance with current legal requirements, where existing, for the safe storage and administration of medicines and other clinical products Participate in the development of policies / procedures and guidelines with health, safety, risk and management personnel and participate in their development in conjunction with relevant staff and in compliance with statutory obligations Observe, report and take appropriate action on any matter which may be detrimental to patient care or well being Be aware of the principles of clinical governance including quality, risk and health and safety and be individually responsible for clinical governance, risk management / health and safety issues in their area of work Comply with HSE policies to minimise risk with particular reference to infection control, domiciliary visits and lone working Participate in the development, promotion and implementation of infection control guidelines Assist with the decontamination process Adhere to organisational dress code Education, Training & Development The Staff Midwife will: Attend mandatory training courses Keep abreast of the latest developments in midwifery practice as far as possible Develop and use reflective practice techniques to inform and guide practice Participate in the clinical / workplace induction of new midwifery and support staff Contribute to the identification of training needs pertinent to the practice area Develop and maintain competence in the area of preceptorship in order to provide a high standard of preceptorship to student midwives/nurses Develop teaching skills and participate in the planning and implementation of orientation, training and teaching programmes for midwifery students and the midwifery element of education for other health-care staff as appropriate Identify and contribute to the continual enhancement of learning opportunities within a population health framework Provide support, guidance and advice to junior colleagues when required within the scope of practice Participate in regular performance / clinical reviews with their line manager Participate in the development of performance indicators in conjunction with the Clinical Midwife Manager 2 Participate in innovation and change in the approach to service user care delivery, and contribute to the service planning process, based on best practice and under the direction of Midwifery Management / Midwifery Practice Development, particularly in relation to new research findings and advances in treatment Administrative The Staff Midwife will: Ensure that records are safeguarded and managed as per HSE / local policy and in accordance with relevant legislation Work closely with colleagues across the integrated services programme in order to provide a seamless service delivery to the client within the integrated services programme Maintain records and submit activity data / furnish appropriate reports to the Director of Nursing as required Contribute to policy development and formulation, performance monitoring, business planning and budgetary control Maintain professional standards including patient and data confidentiality Contribute to the development and implementation of information sharing protocols, audit systems, referral pathways, individual care plans and shared care arrangements Contribute to ongoing monitoring, audit and evaluation of the service as appropriate Ensure that the ward/department is maintained in good order using appropriate models that supplies are adequate and that all equipment is in good working order and ready for immediate use Assist in the maintenance of necessary equipment and ordering of supplies as required to ensure a safe environment for patients, staff and visitors Ensure that the appropriate and efficient use of supplies and exercise economy in the use of consumables Coordinate the management of the unit in the absence of the Clinical Midwife Manager Undertake other duties as required by the Manager of Women and Children's Service or his / her designate Health & Safety The Staff Midwife will: Be aware of all health & safety issues, as identified through the risk assessment process, within the Safety Statement. Comply with all the policies procedures & safe work practices, pertaining to your work area, by adhering to the Safety, Health & Welfare legislation and associated regulations Ensure you take reasonable care to protect your safety health & welfare and that of any other person who may be effected by your acts or omissions at work Document as per the HSE DNE Incident Reporting Policy any near miss or accident The above Job Description is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all duties involved and consequently, the post holder may be required to perform other duties as appropriate to the post which may be assigned to him/her from time to time and to contribute to the development of the post while in office. Essential Criteria Candidates must: Be registered in the Midwifery Division of the Register of Nurses maintained by the Nursing Board (An Brd Altranais) and Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (Cnimhseachais na hireann) or be entitled to register. AND Have the clinical and administrative capacity to properly discharge the functions of the role Skills & Competencies Professional Knowledge/Experience relevant to the role Ability to Work Independently as well as part of a Team Commitment to Providing a Quality Service Communication and Influencing Skills