A recent addition to the team is Lucy, a state-of-the art mannequin (realistic wireless childbirth simulator) specifically designed to assist with training on all stages of delivery and on rare emergency scenarios.

We employ more than 90 midwives, who provide full midwifery care across the scope of practice. They also provide support to lead maternity carers and specialist obstetric services. Career opportunities are available for experienced midwives looking for a new challenge and for graduate midwives looking to build experience.

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora Waikato offers a full range of birthing options, from primary care birthing units to women presenting with complications in pregnancy requiring our specialised high dependency unit.

Cultural support for midwives

Cultural support for midwives

As a health provider in an district with 21% of people identifying as Māori (compared to 16% total New Zealand), we have a specific commitment to cultural support for Māori and Pasifika midwives, and for all midwives to deliver culturally appropriate care.

Our cultural support team provides support for Maori and Pasifika students, new graduates and existing midwives.

Midwifery collaborative meetings

Midwifery collaborative meetings

These are held 4 times a year across the Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora Waikato district, bringing together Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora midwives and lead maternity carers in meetings that focus on information sharing, professional support and education.

Midwifery standards review process

Midwifery standards review process

Midwifery standards review is a unique quality assurance process developed by the New Zealand College of Midwives to reflect the partnership model of midwifery practice. It is a professional development process that supports midwives to reflect on their individual midwifery practice in a formal manner, with the assistance of specially educated reviewers.

Midwives work with the reviewers to reflect on their midwifery practice and identify a professional development plan. The review is designed to help the midwife to:

  • maintain professional standards of practice
  • reflect on the partnership between women and midwives throughout the childbirth experience using the feedback received from women. Consumer feedback forms provide women with the opportunity to provide feedback on the care they received. The midwife and her reviewers use this information during her review.
  • reflect on her work using the college standards for practice and turanga kaupapa as the accepted guiding principles of midwifery care in Aotearoa New Zealand
  • demonstrate her commitment to ongoing professional development and accountability
  • examine her practice with midwifery peers and consumers of midwifery services.

The college has produced a booklet, Midwifery Standards Review Handbook, to assist and guide midwives through the review process. Booklets are available to order through the college shop.

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora Waikato funds your review. Should you withdraw from the scheduled date for any reason without giving NZCOM enough notice to reschedule reviewers, you are responsible fee the cancellation fee and reschedule.

Midwifery Standards Review — New Zealand College of Midwives (external link)

Contact

If you are a Waikato Hospital midwife, the local statistics you need — in addition to the documentation from the college — can be obtained from the women's health educators.

If you are employed in a rural facility, you require the statistics from your local unit.

If you are a caseload midwife, you need to have your own data.

If you need help or guidance with obtaining hospital statistics or to guide you in preparing your portfolio:

Practical obstetric multi professional training (PROMPT)

Practical obstetric multi professional training (PROMPT)

Practical obstetric multi professional training (PROMPT) involves midwives, emergency department nurses, medical ward nurses, hospital doctors and often local GPs and paramedics learning to work together in emergency scenarios.

Given the wide geographical area covered by Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora Waikato, this training is vitally important to handle situations in rural and remote areas.

For more information:

Quality leadership programme for midwives

Quality leadership programme for midwives

The quality leadership programme for midwives is a national professional development and career planning framework.

It is also designed to recognise and reward midwives for their individual domain of practice and their contribution to their service.

Midwives are able to progress through domains of practice by preparing and submitting a portfolio to demonstrate how they meet the general requirements for a specific quality leadership programme domain of practice.

Midwives employed by Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora Waikato can find details on the staff intranet.

For more information:

Practice developments programme — Insight

Practice developments programme — Insight

Insight is aimed at nursing, midwifery and allied health registered health professionals who are not in designated senior positions and wish to enhance their leadership and cultural practice abilities.

This programme offers a supportive, peer-learning environment that will enable participants to:

  • develop a broader understanding of the current dynamic context of healthcare
  • develop insight into their own leadership potential
  • identify their career pathways and opportunities
  • enhance relationships with patients, whānau, and colleagues.

Insight will be delivered over 4 workshops of blended learning approaches comprising of:

  • face-to-face group work
  • online learning
  • mentoring
  • coaching
  • reflective practices.