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Detailed job description and main responsibilities

KEY DUTIES

The midwife is accountable for the personal provision of midwifery care that is evidenced based and woman centred, aiming to continually improve standards, quality of care, and ultimately the woman’s experience.

The midwife must have the resilience to cope with the personal accountability and many demands of this role. 

All employees have a duty and a responsibility to protect and safeguard children and vulnerable adults.  The midwife must have an excellent working knowledge of local safeguarding children and vulnerable adult procedures and act in accordance of these at all times, in addition to ensuring mandatory training requirements are up to date. 

CLINICAL & PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Undertake holistic (physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual) and effective assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation within their own sphere of clinical practice. 

In conjunction with the ward manager and senior management team, contribute to the development of midwifery models of care to ensure the delivery of evidence based woman centred midwifery care.

To support maternity managers/leaders in the assessment of current practices within midwifery and assist in innovations that lead to improved quality of care

Be trained and skilled in undertaking IV drug administration, IV cannulation, perineal suturing, caring for women with epidural anaesthesia, home birth, waterbirth and providing high dependency care

Ensure compliance of patient risk assessments, such as VTE, CPE, pressure ulcers

Undertake Newborn Infant Physical Examination (NIPE) if trained to do so.

Assist with the monitoring of NIPE compliance (72 hour target) and escalate as appropriate.

Undertake additional link midwife roles, as necessary, with other departments in the Trust, such as infection and prevention, pharmacy, medical devices, eMEWS, K2 monitoring and manual handling. 

Be confident and competent in dealing with common obstetric and neonatal emergencies in a hospital and/or community setting i.e. shoulder dystocia, post-partum haemorrhage, neonatal resuscitation, maternal resuscitation, unexpected breech birth, cord prolapse

Have a working knowledge of Trust and Maternity Risk Management requirements.

Identify and actively participate in the reporting of all clinical incidents (as per local trigger list, which is not exhaustive), accidents and near misses through the datix system

Be aware of potential hazards and risks in maternity and assist colleagues in meeting risk management requirements i.e. datix reporting, root cause investigations, incident reviews and serious incident investigations

Provide individualised care for women experiencing bereavement and ensure all requirements for investigations and follow-up are met

Promote health education and provide appropriate information and advice to women and their families. Lead and facilitate Parent Education classes if required.

Use maternity unit processes and systems to ensure efficient and effective admission and timely discharge from the maternity unit.  Communicating and co-operating with other wards and departments giving accurate information as required.

Adhere to the systems in place to store, check and administer drugs in accordance with the Trust and NMC policies, reporting any inconsistencies to the Ward / Dept Manager / Co-ordinator and use datix reporting system if required.

Actively contribute to the maternity thermometer and safety thermometer systems and process, including data gathering as per required timescales

Ensure all clinical risk assessments are completed i.e. VTE, Pressure Ulcer and CPE

 Maintain an up to date Professional Registration and Revalidation status

Adhere to relevant requirements of the Midwifery Professional body

Maintain own continuous professional development (CPD) in order to competently fulfil the role of the midwife

Comply with Trust Mandatory training requirements

Adhere to Trust Policies, Guidelines and other requirements

Practice in accordance with the Trust’s 5 Star patient care, the corporate objectives, Trust’s Nursing and Midwifery Strategy, Maternity Strategy, and the Trust ACE Behavioural Standards

Have knowledge of and participate in the Supervision of Midwifery Strategy within the Trust. To have an awareness of the value of Midwifery Supervision and the Role of the Supervisor of Midwives.  Be responsible for arranging an annual 1 to 1 review with your Supervisor of Midwives.

Actively support the delivery of the Trust’s Maternity Strategy

Actively support the delivery of the Trust’s Maternity Dashboard, supporting ward/clinical area dashboards and other key performance indicators for the maternity service

ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES

Must be fully able to use the Trust computerised systems (once trained) integral to the running of the maternity service.

Maintain efficient multi-disciplinary communication systems within the area of responsibility reporting to the midwifery manager / shift leaders as appropriate

To ensure midwifery records are legible, accurate, contemporaneous, signed, dated and maintained in accordance with Nursing Midwifery Council (NMC) policies and guidelines, and Trust Policies relating to Record Keeping.

Develop and utilise advanced communication methods and skills, such as negotiating, and empowering language to effectively communicate complex, sensitive and often distressing information, to women and their families in a way they understand. Employ these skills to effectively address and overcome any barriers and promote an open and honest culture with service users and their families in keeping with the Trust Duty of Candour policy.

Ensure the patient whiteboard and ward entrance boards are up to date

TEACHING & TRAINING RESPONSIBILITIES

To be personally responsible for ensuring participation in in-service training programmes, including mandatory requirements and continuing professional development needs as required of a Midwife.

Facilitate meeting the needs of all learners, by proactively contributing to provide a good learning environment and maximising opportunities in clinical and non-clinical teaching.

Participate in the education and assessment of all pre and post registration students in accordance with the University and Trust requirements, providing mentorship where appropriate

Be a role model for all students, junior midwives and support staff, utilising quality leadership and supervision skills

Participate in the mentoring and preceptorship of newly qualified midwives to assist with their development and competency to perform specific clinical and non-clinical tasks

Participate in research and clinical audit programmes, in order to foster innovative, best practice, and contribute to the development, improvement and advancement of services and quality initiatives.

LINE MANAGEMENT/SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

Act as a shift leader as and when directed to do so

Deputise for the ward manager when appropriate

To proactively support the safety huddle process ensuring it is embedded into day to day practice

To allocate the daily workload, assign staff for their required breaks and monitor compliance

To ensure all emergency/resuscitation equipment is checked daily and documentation of same recorded and signed

Ensure the baby tagging system is used appropriately and be aware of the baby abduction drill

To be aware of the Major Incident Policy and drills

Contribute towards monitoring and evaluating standards of care and undertaking the regular appraisal of assigned staff, supporting them to receive agreed training, setting clear and achievable objectives appropriate to the grade and role, liaising with the ward manager as appropriate. 

Supervise, delegate and co-ordinate the professional work of midwifery and other staff within the team as directed

To utilise e-roster system as required

Act in an advisory and guiding role for all aspects of midwifery care in a sensitive and non-judgemental manner.

Working with the Ward/Department Manager and Human Resources - to participate in the recruitment, selection of midwifery staff and proactively seek ways to increase staff retention.

Attend and participate in departmental/team meetings and act as a representative when necessary to other committees / groups.

To be proactive in the prevention and de-escalation of informal and formal complaints, and the initial management of informal complaints, including reporting to the Ward/Dept Manager/Shift Leader on the initial outcome of actions taken.  To be fully aware of and act in accordance with the Trust Complaints Management Policy.

Contribute to and encourage patient and public feedback/involvement at a local level.

Support the Friends and Family process

Proactively contribute towards ensuring a healthy, supportive, team working environment, that enables colleagues to enjoy their time at work

FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

To assist and support cost improvement ideas and share these with the Ward Manager

Utilise resources and supplies effectively and economically, reporting deficiencies to the Ward/Department Manager.

To ensure the effective and efficient utilisation of staff

RESEARCH & AUDIT

To participate in Audit and Research as requested.

To identify Audit topics that would improve the service to women and enable learning to be shared.