Alberta has recently funded midwifery, which has created an incredible demand for midwifery care and long waiting lists. Our practice has an out-of-hospital birth rate of more than 50% (both at home and at the Arbour Birth Center) and privileges at all three city hospitals.

Ensuring a healthy work-life balance is important to us. This midwifery team will be caring for 8-10 clients a month between 3 midwives. The flexible on-call schedule, days off, and holidays will be decided upon by the team members.

The interested applicants should

- Be eligible for full registration with the Alberta Midwifery Health Disciplines Committee and have current CPR, NRP, and Emergency Skills

- At least one year of midwifery experience including out-of-hospital births would be ideal however we are willing to consider a new registrant.

- Have excellent communication skills, work well in within a small team, and contribute positively to the practice

- Be flexible and reliable with on-call rotation

- Hold a full drivers license and have access to a vehicle.

Calgary is approximately one hour from Banff National Park, Kananaskis Provincial Park, Dinosaur Provincial Park, as well as numerous ski hills and cross country trails. Interested applicants may email Jane Baker at jane.baker@birthpartnershipmidwives.com or fax a resume and cover letter to 403-686-7720 by 31 July 2011. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at 403-617-6522

Please visit our website at www.birthpartnershipmidwives.com

Veuillez noter que la réponse officielle de l’ACSF ci-joint sera disponible en français sous peu

The Canadian Association of Midwives (CAM) and National Aboriginal Council of Midwives (NACM) welcome the plan announced today by Peggy Nash, MP for Parkdale—High Park and NDP leadership candidate. The plan will institute federal support for midwifery in First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities and expand the role of midwives in maternal and newborn health services at the federal level. (full response attached .pdf)

February 23, 2012-Announcement by Peggy Nash, MP and NDP leadership candidate

Midwifery needs federal recognition and support: Nash

Regina / 23 February 2012 – Peggy Nash, MP for Parkdale—High Park and NDP leadership candidate, released a plan today to bring birth back to rural and remote Aboriginal communities.

“No matter who or where they are, every mother and baby in Canada deserves the best possible maternity care,” said Nash.

“The Harper Conservatives’ failure to recognize and fund midwifery at the federal level has led to routine evacuation of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis women from reserves and remote communities,” she added.

“Access to quality maternity care close to home not only contributes to maternal and newborn health, it strengthens communities and families.”

Supported by domestic and international research on the essential role of midwives in improving maternal and newborn health, Nash’s plan will remove policy barriers to expanding midwifery services in First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities while promoting a much wider role for midwives in research and policy development at the federal level.

“This is one area in which we absolutely can do better,” says Nash. “Aboriginal women and children deserve no less.”

http://peggynash.ca/2012/midwifery-needs-federal-recognition-and-support/

L’Association canadienne des sages-femmes (ACSF)  et le National Aboriginal Council of Midwives (NACM) approuve le plan annoncé aujourd’hui par Peggy Nash. Le plan instituera un soutien fédéral pour les sages-femmes dans les communautés des Premières Nations, Inuits, et Métis  et élargira le rôle des sages-femmes au niveau fédéral dans la santé maternelle et la santé des nouveau-nés.

23 février 2012- Peggy Nash, députée et candidate à chefferie du NPD, a dévoilé aujourd’hui son plan pour encourager le retour des naissances au sein des communautés autochtones rurales et éloignées

Nash: Les sages-femmes ont besoin de reconnaissance et d’appui du gouvernement fédéral

Regina / 23 février 2012 – Peggy Nash, députée de Parkdale—High Park et candidate à la chefferie du NPD, a dévoilé aujourd’hui son plan pour encourager le retour des naissances au sein des communautés autochtones rurales et éloignées.

« Chaque femme et enfant au Canada mérite les meilleurs soins de santé maternelle, peu importe où ils se trouvent. » a affirmé Nash.

« L’inaction de Harper et des conservateurs au niveau de la reconnaissance et du financement des sages-femmes a mené à la normalisation de l’évacuation des femmes des Premières Nations, inuites ou métisses vivant sur des réserves et dans des communautés éloignées. » a-t-elle ajouté.

« L’accès à des soins de santé maternelle de qualité près de chez soi contribue non seulement à une meilleure santé des mères et des nouveau-nés, cela renforce également les liens au sein des familles et des communautés. »

Le plan de Mme Nash se base sur des recherches canadiennes et internationales sur le rôle essentiel des sages-femmes dans l’amélioration de la santé des mères et des nouveau-nés. Il vise à éliminer les barrières d’ordre politique à l’expansion des services des sages-femmes dans les communautés des Premières Nations, inuites et métisses, tout en élargissant le rôle des sages-femmes dans la recherche et le développement de politiques au niveau fédéral.

« C’est un domaine où nous avons le devoir de faire mieux. » affirme Mme Nash. « Les femmes et les enfants autochtones ne méritent rien de moins. »

http://peggynash.ca/2012/nash-les-sages-femmes-ont-besoin-de-reconnaissance-et-dappui-du-gouvernement-federal/

CAM_Response_Peggy_Nash_Feb_2012-1

Healthy Options Centre is Airdrie’s premier integrative health clinic and we are looking for a Midwife to join our growing team.  Airdrie is a city of 40,000 located 20 minutes north of Calgary and surrounded by rural communities and several small towns.

We have a warm, patient centered, team environment and offer a variety of medical and health services including: Naturopathic Medicine, Registered Massage Therapy, Certified Childbirth Education, Life Coaching, Craniosacral Therapy and Reflexology.  If you would enjoy working out of an integrative clinic setting and have exceptional interpersonal skills, we are interested in you!

If you are interested, please use the information below to contact us with a cover letter and resume.

Dr. Richard Mountain

Healthy Options Centre

5 – 213 Main Street N

Airdrie, AB  T4B 0R6

healthyoptionscentre@gmail.com

P: 403-945-8265

F: 403-945-8268

2. Gulu, AFRICA
This region of Uganda was devastated by war as the “Lord’s Resistance Army” kidnapped boys
to fight as child soldiers and girls were raped and infected with AIDS.
Work in their pediatric clinic to help prevent the transmission of AIDS to infants.
Midwives are needed to teach Mother and Child Wellness.
Director has also asked for help with reproductive education & family planning
to reduce the size of large families struggling to feed all the kids.
This clinic is unusual by African standards: they have a microscope & some lab equipment.
What is needed? People that can work with very few resources.

3. Other sites in AFRICA: Cameroon, Sierra Leone
Teach Traditional Birth Attendants to monitor mothers in trouble during labor & delivery
so they can get to clinic or hospital in time for a safe delivery.
…thus helping prevent fistulas. Other need: Well Mother/Well Baby Consultations.

These are volunteer positions. Applications accepted on a rolling basis. No end date.

Interested? Please READ the NGOabroad website.  http://www.ngoabroad.com/
then answer Questionnaire and embed with resume
and email to info@NGOabroad.com

NGOabroad is a unique service that provides frugal, customized international volunteer options
and helps people enter international humanitarian work. http://www.ngoabroad.com/

Salary: $38.9877 – $43.9324/hour; 10% stipend in addition to hourly rate (prorated based on total FTE)
Union Status: Non-Union
Competition #: P-2011-0332
Posting Date: August 31, 2011
Closing Date: September 7, 2011
Start Date: ASAP

POSTION SCOPE, RESPONSIBILITIES & QUALIFICATIONS:

Working in partnership with midwife colleagues and members of the interprofessional team to provide high quality, safe and cost effective patient and family centered care the Professional Practice Chief has a focus on excellent and sustainable health care services. You provide leadership in the design and evaluation of models of care to build midwifery practice in the communities served by the IWK Health Centre. You will have a strong focus on optimizing midwives’ scopes of practice and improving the awareness of midwives’ contributions to the care of childbearing women and newborns. You will work collaboratively with the care team and community partners to identify and lead initiatives to advance patient care in keeping with the strategic plan of Health Centre and the professional practice standards of midwifery. You will be actively involved in policy development within the Midwifery program at the IWK. The PPC-Midwifery will have a 0.6 fte active clinical midwifery practice within the Women’s and Newborn Health Program.

The Professional Practice Chief works with the IWK Professional Practice Council and the Women’s and Newborn Health Program to ensure that the IWK Midwifery Program is aligned with the vision and mission of the Health Centre Responsibilities include building and sustaining the essential elements of professional Midwifery practice; advocating for Midwifery research; identifying and promoting opportunities for professional development; promoting student learning by coordinating clinical Midwifery education at the health centre; promoting professional mentoring; participating in the continuing development of Interprofessional Education at the IWK; participating in the recruitment, selection, orientation, and evaluation of Midwives; compiling midwifery program and workload statistics, including interpretation and recommendations related to clinical priorities, needs of patient populations, productivity and service utilization to managers and directors of the Women’s and Newborn Health program and care teams; demonstrating a leadership role in defining Midwifery services; demonstrating a leadership role in innovative care delivery; being accountable for the operational and educational expenditures of the PPC Midwifery cost centre.

The PPC – Midwifery is accountable to the Director of Interprofessional Practice. Collaboration with the Manager/Director in relation to Midwifery issues, business planning and budget review is also a key component of this role. Responsibilities include collaborating and working consultatively with team leaders/coordinators to ensure efficient and effective Midwifery coverage; reviewing and recommending service priorities, including specific strategies for reaching underserved populations and diverse communities; overseeing referrals and determining appropriateness of and responding to referral requests. The PPC takes a leadership role in approving vacation and leave requests, and collaborates with the Manager/Director to complete administrative tasks including monitoring financial expenditures. The PPC – Midwifery shares responsibility with all Midwives to ensure that caseload coverage is provided as required.

Please note: In July 2011, the Nova Scotia Department of Health and Wellness requested and received an independent review of midwifery services in Nova Scotia. As we work to relaunch our program in consideration of these recommendations, this role will continue to evolve in responsibility, accountability and duties.

QUALIFICATIONS:
• Registered or eligible for immediate registration with an Active-Practicing (Clinical) license subject to approval by the Midwifery Regulatory Council of Nova Scotia and as per the Midwifery Act and Regulations.
• Demonstrated leadership excellence in program development and evaluation required.
• Three (3) years related leadership experience would be considered an asset.
• Demonstrated excellent leadership, communication and collaboration/interpersonal skills and able to function as a member of an interprofessional team.
• Current certificates in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), Neonatal Resuscitation certification (NRP) with intubation, and an Obstetrical Emergency Skills course (i.e. ALSO), required.
• Recent /current Midwifery practice experience; must meet the Midwifery Regulatory Council of Nova Scotia standards for currency of practice required for initial/maintaining registration as a practicing Midwife.
• Experience working within the Canadian Midwifery Model of Practice preferred
• Eligible for liability insurance coverage provided by the IWK and able to provide a recent criminal record check with vulnerable sector search and child abuse registry check.
• Able to work flexible hours according to patient needs and location of service for the provision of on-site clinical services, healthcare in patient homes/communities (as appropriate), hospital/clinic services, and on-call coverage.
• Must be physically able to perform the duties related to the position under varying weather and environmental conditions including heavy lifting, carrying equipment in and out of houses/buildings and up and down stairs.
• Experience working with diverse and underserved patient populations, required.
• Experience with leading regular interprofessional quality reviews
• Demonstrated ability to work as part of a collaborative team in a variety of settings as well as the ability to work independently required.
• Excellent time management, organization and problem-solving skills required.
• Demonstrated interpersonal, presentation and communication (verbal and written) skills required.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain internal/external partnerships required.
• Experience in and knowledgeable and supportive of the concepts of Program Based and Patient and Family Centered Care required.
• In possession of a valid Nova Scotia class 5 driver’s license and access to a dependable vehicle for use at all times.
• Competencies in other languages considered an asset; French preferred.

It is the responsibility of IWK employees to self identify as internal applicants. At the time of application submission, each applicant will be asked if they are a current IWK employee.

All application information submitted for this posting may be viewed by IWK Human Resources Employees, IWK Hiring Managers and/or their delegates. The information submitted will be retained in the CareerBeacon database, and the IWK may also store and retain application information on secure computers, or within locked filing systems for up to 5 years.

To apply for this posting please select the following link:

http://www.careerbeacon.com/search/en/-1/-1/-1/-1/0/-1/-1/-1/-1/0/3/MB1108314601

Alberta began funding midwifery services in 2009 and their popularity has been soaring ever since.  Now, Mount Royal University is offering a four-year Bachelor degree in midwifery – the first such program in the province.

Will the training and registering of more midwives help ease the strain of Alberta’s baby boom?  Do they offer a safe birthing option, and is the health care community ready to accept them?

New Training Program for Midwives in Alberta

On April 14, the Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench issued a court order against Gerilinde Lehner. The order specifically prohibits Lehner from managing labour or delivering a baby; performing any service set out in section 8 of the Midwifery Regulation; and from describing herself as a midwife or using any name, title, description or abbreviation so as to express or imply that she is a registered midwife or someone who may perform midwifery services.

Lehner does not hold a license in Alberta as a registered midwife.

In Alberta, managing labour or delivering a baby is a restricted activity under Schedule 7.1 of the Government Organization Act and only those persons authorized by legislation may perform this activity. The only persons in Alberta currently authorized to manage labour or deliver a baby are regulated members of the following professions: physicians, registered midwives, registered nurses, and paramedics in emergency situations.

Managing labour and delivering a baby is designated a restricted activity because it carries with it a risk of harm. As a result, it is an activity that can only be performed by qualified and authorized health practitioners.

Anyone wishing to have a midwife attended birth is encouraged to go to the Alberta Health and Wellness website for a list of currently registered midwives and call the Registrar for Midwives in Alberta to confirm the currency of an individual midwife’s registration. A list of currently registered midwives can be found at www.health.alberta.ca/services/midwifery.html and the Registrar for Midwives can be reached at 780-422-2733.

Court Order