Midwifery and nursing closely linked.Midwifery and nursing are intertwined, as my own career shows. I became a general and obstetric nurse in 1971, then spent a year in paediatric Adj. 1. paediatric - of or relating to the medical care of children; "pediatric dentist" pediatric and neonatal care. I worked as a nurse for many years, and was sponsored (by the same hospital) in 1988 to do my Advanced Diploma in Nursing A Diploma in Nursing or Nursing Diploma is an entry-level tertiary education nursing degree. In the United States, this type of degree is usually awarded by hospital-based nursing schools. and Midwifery. I did my bachelor of midwifery in 1999 and a bachelor of nursing in 2001. This cost me over $5000. Several years ago, I was the first person in my hospital to achieve the level of expert nurse on the critical pathway (now known as the professional development recognition programme--PDRP). Here lies the confusion: At the time I was working as a midwife but, as there was no such a thing as an expert midwife, I was known as an expert nurse. In 2004, the Midwifery Council separated from the Nursing Council. Many midwives, who for years had had their nursing annual practising certificates (APCs), did not renew their annual nursing certificates. I have worked hard for both professions and I am determined to keep both APCs. I have two portfolios: one for midwifery and one for general/obstetric nursing. I am a preceptor pre·cep·tor n. An expert or specialist, such as a physician, who gives practical experience and training to a student, especially of medicine or nursing. preceptor an instructor. and an intravenous assessor. I am involved in the PDRP PDRP Power Demonstration Reactor Program PDRP Professional Development for Registrars Program steering group, as well as being a portfolio assessor. I look after diabetes, pneumonia and caesarean section caesarean section: see cesarean section. patients. These require nursing as well as midwifery skills. I work full-time in maternity and, when it is quiet, I offer to work in the general side. Having the two practising certificates benefits the hospital. Since the start of direct entry midwifery, I have taught and mentored core midwives. Hospitals should treasure people like me by encouraging us to maintain both APCs. We have nurses working in our postnatal postnatal /post·na·tal/ (-na´t'l) occurring after birth, with reference to the newborn. post·na·tal adj. Of or occurring after birth, especially in the period immediately after birth. ward because there are not enough midwives to cover. There are also direct entry midwives overseeing nurses in the same ward. In other words Adv. 1. in other words - otherwise stated; "in other words, we are broke" put differently , these nurses are going for their driving licences (APCs) and the authorities overseeing them have no licence to practise. Human resources have never approached me to ask what I want to be employed as--a nurse, a midwife or both. According to the Nursing Council, you can have both APCs as long as you can prove you are a competent nurse. I do the nursing hours and have a nursing portfolio. I am now trying to have my conditions of employment conditions of employment that part of an employment that sets out the duties, responsibilities, hours of work, salary, leave and other privileges to be enjoyed by persons employed, for example a veterinary nurse, in private practice. changed to that of midwife/obstetric nurse. I am sure there are a lot of people like me out there! Cecile de Book, RN, RM, New Plymouth |
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