Registered Midwife
(Midwife)
Fact Sheet
 |
Caring for a new born child |
Midwives provide care and support for women during pregnancy, labour and birth, and provide post-natal care for women and babies.
Duties and Tasks
Midwives may perform the following tasks:
- provide physical and technical midwifery care and support for women and their babies
- detect any complications which may develop for a mother and her baby
- arrange appropriate consultation and referral and implement emergency measures
- work as a part of a multi-disciplinary team, liaising with other healthcare professionals to provide the best care for childbearing women
- observe, monitor, assess, report and document care provided to women and their babies, as well as their responses to treatment
- prepare women for operative birth and provide post-operative care
- give advice on health matters for both a mother and her baby
- answer questions and provide information to women and their families about treatment and care
- contribute to the clinical training of medical and midwifery students
- supervise enrolled nurses, registered nurses and health care assistants
Quick Facts
School subjects that include some aspect of BIOLOGY provide a useful background to these jobs. In some cases a biology-related subject is a pre-requisite for entry to courses that provide the training for the job.
School subjects that include some aspect of English provide a useful background to these jobs. In some cases an English-related subject is a pre-requisite for entry to courses that provide the training for the job.
These jobs require you to be able to see clearly to examine items close-up. It covers jobs where poor vision e.g. tunnel vision, could make the work place unsafe or the job difficult to undertake, e.g. draftsperson working with detailed drawings; checkout operator reading dockets; work requiring good hand-eye co-ordination for working with precision or semi-precision tools.
These jobs require moderate or better reading and writing skills. Workers may be expected to prepare, understand or act on written materials, such as letters or reports. People may wish to avoid these jobs if their reading or writing English skills are limited to a small range of words or phrases and symbols. Jobs remaining may still require very basic reading or writing skills.
Included are jobs providing health care diagnosis and treatment, such as general medicine, pharmacy, optometry, radiography, speech therapy, dental health, etc. Also covered are community and welfare services, such as social work, family and children services, and counselling, and personal services such as hairdressing and funeral services.
These jobs involve WORKING WITH PEOPLE, to help, inform, teach or treat them. Activities include discussing personal issues, listening to people's problems, and providing advice, instruction, information or treatment to meet their needs.
These jobs involve WORKING WITH THINGS, using the hands, or special tools or equipment to make, fix, install or adjust them. Activities include doing practical and physical tasks, and may require an understanding of how equipment or machinery works.
Jobs in this group usually require completion of a recognised Bachelor Degree, or extensive relevant experience. Some jobs also require post-graduate study, such as a Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma or Master Degree.
Work Conditions
Midwives usually work according to a rotating 7-day roster which includes morning, afternoon and night shifts, weekends and public holidays.
Personal Requirements
- good communication skills
- able to assume responsibility and take leadership
- able to take initiative in emergencies
- able to work under pressure
- tolerance and patience in dealing with people from a wide range of backgrounds
- able to work as part of a team
- mentally and physically fit
Occupation Video - Registered Midwife