Antenatal Clinic Midwife

Job responsibilities

Job Purpose:

To assess, review and revise, as part of the multi- professional team, the care needs of women during pregnancy who present with a range of risk factors.

To provide care according to the individual care plan via Antenatal clinic/DAU and act upon concerns.

To provide effective leadership and to act as a good role model.

To supervise junior staff and to teach qualified and unqualified staff, acting as a mentor, as appropriate, providing advice and support as necessary.

Work autonomously within guidelines and spheres of professional practice.

Deal appropriately with positive and negative feedback from women, recognising the wider implications for the unit and Trust.

Participate in decision-making in relation to women-centred care and development of practice within the clinical area.

Actively involved in change.

Patient Care:

To assess, develop, implement and evaluate programmes of care.

To be responsible for the organisation of midwifery care for the patients assigned to you. Utilise the full skills of a midwife practitioner (both integral and extended) to a caseload of women.

To discuss with the Clinic Manager, development and changes both midwifery and medical, which affect patients directly and indirectly.

Provide care to women and their relatives when having to break bad/give difficult news and support other staff undergoing this process.

Communicate effectively with multi-disciplinary professionals and agencies, ensuring seamless high-quality care.

To take appropriate action to ensure the safety of patients, including the delegation of patient care to midwives, with the appropriate level skill at all times.

To report any accidents/incidents to the Clinic Manager/Matron

To ensure that midwifery procedures/guidelines are implemented and maintained in accordance with the policies of the Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust and national guidance.

To ensure that acceptable standards of care are maintained and, where necessary, instigate changes in agreement with the Clinic Manager.

To be fully conversant in dealing with complex midwifery problems such as safeguarding.

Education and Training:

Supervise the training of qualified and unqualified staff and assist junior staff to develop clinical and managerial skills, in accordance with their level of competence.

To act as a preceptor for junior staff. To participate in teaching for all learners in accordance with their objectives, working closely with local education providers.

To provide support and supervision as practice assessors/supervisors student midwives.

To participate in teaching programmes as required.

Maintain knowledge of current midwifery practice, promoting research-based practice in agreement with clinic manager.

To organise and provide training programmes in accordance with the identified needs for the unit.

To participate in further post-registration training, as evidenced by developments in practice and PDR

Management:

To autonomously manage a caseload within the Antenatal Clinic/ Day Assessment Unit area, making decisions and acting on care needs as they arise.

To manage effectively the Antenatal Clinic/ Day Assessment Unit in the absence of the clinic manager, co-ordinating and allocating work to staff.

To liaise with the midwives in charge of the unit within the Trust to plan workloads and staffing levels as effectively as possible.

To inform and discuss with the clinic manager, any problems regarding management and / or care of the woman.

Maintain the custody of controlled drugs according to statutory procedure, ordering replacements, checking and administering all drugs according to the Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust.

To participate in audit programmes.

To take all measures to ensure safety and report all accidents / incidents to the clinic manager / Maternity Matron / Director of Midwifery and to monitor the safe and effective use of all equipment and the economic use of supplies.

Maintain accurate management records at all times, ensuring appropriate reporting mechanisms are used.

To assist in other wards / department of the maternity services if the clinical situation or staffing levels demand.

Be conversant with Trust and other Policies and Procedures and mechanisms in place for effective care and efficient management of the Maternity Unit.

Professional:

To always maintain a professional attitude developing the role of the midwife in the best interest of the women and profession in accordance with Nursing & Midwifery Council and Midwives code.

Be responsible for maintaining accurate and contemporaneous midwifery records, written and electronic in accordance with Midwives Code.

To be aware of extended personal and professional development and annual PDR.

To attend courses and conferences as relevant according to the requirements of the role of an experienced midwife, MMT, PROMPT and mandatory training.

Develop competencies in the use of equipment in the clinical area, attend teaching sessions as appropriate.

To be conversant and comply with the Trust policies and regulations.

To maintain good standards of care and assist in the implementation of recommendations from Government and professional bodies in relation to maternity care Participate in research projects where appropriate, reporting findings within a multi-disciplinary framework.

Assist in research projects where appropriate.

To be professionally accountable for ones own midwifery practice, acting in a professional manner at all times, abiding by the Midwives Code and all other relevant NMC and Trust practice protocols and guidelines. To maintain professional registration utilising revalidation process.

Personnel:

To assist the Clinic manager in monitoring staff performance.

Participate in staff appraisal and the investigation of complaints and incidents.

To assist the clinic manager in the maintenance of day-to-day discipline within the DAU/Clinic area

To inform the clinic manager of staff failing to meet the required standard of performance.

Experience

Essential

• Experience in all areas of midwifery Practice
• Good organisational / time management skills
• Experience of supervising staff and delegation

Desirable

• Proven knowledge base / experience in speciality
• Experience of appraising staff

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

• Able to demonstrate research based approach to care
• Effective communicator both written and verbal
• Computer literate / IT skills
• Good organisational / time management skills
• Able to interpret and adhere to Trust and departmental policies protocols, procedures and guidelines
• Ability to problem solve
• Ability to prioritise workload
• Flexible to change in demands of service
• Willing to learn new skills
• Ability to identify personal development needs
• Ability to support unregistered staff / students
• Ability to identify risk and understanding of Clinical Governance.
• Understanding of CTG interpretation.
• Venepuncture skills
• Willingness to work antenatal clinic and day assessment areas.

Desirable

• IV cannulation skills
• IV drug administration skills
• Experience of working within community
• NIPE qualification
• Risk reporting, investigation and recording
• Able to undertake perineal repair

Qualifications

Essential

• Registered Midwife with NMC
• Evidence of further professional development to First Degree level
• Evidence of continuing education
• NMC recognised Teaching and assessing qualification

Desirable

• Management experience
• Evidence of advanced midwifery studies

Personal Qualities

Essential

• Professional attitude, able to work in a team
• Able to think clearly under pressure
• Ability to provide leadership and support to junior members of the team.
• Able to deal with exposure to bereavement and challenging behaviour
• Enthusiastic & assertive
• Demonstrates attention to detail
• Motivated
• Able to work under own initiative within boundaries of role

Desirable

• Leadership qualities

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).