A unique re-entry initiative in South Australia is assisting eligible midwives to reintegrate into the midwifery profession by updating their essential skills and expertise in clinical environments.
This initiative comes at a critical time, as the number of registered midwives in Australia witnessed a decline from 2018 to 2023, a trend attributed to retirements and the inability to attract fresh talent to the profession. Consequently, a void has been created, characterised by a loss of institutional experience and a dearth of clinical knowledge and skills.
To address this, the RESET-M pilot program has been launched, a collaborative effort between Flinders University, the Northern Adelaide Local Health Network (NALHN), and Your Nursing Agency (YNA). This innovative program is designed to help midwives who have been away from clinical practice for a significant period to refresh their essential skills and knowledge, thereby facilitating a smooth and efficient reintegration into the workforce.
Under the existing Australian regulations, midwives who have not practiced for five or more years are mandated to undergo a formal refresher course approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia to regain their active status on the register.
However, many midwives find themselves losing confidence or hesitating to return to maternity wards before reaching the five-year mark, given the dynamic and high-pressure environment of these settings.
The RESET-M program is stepping in to bridge this gap. Currently, five midwives are enrolled in a short course at the Flinders University Sturt campus, where they are acquainting themselves with the latest practices in clinical labs and simulation suites.
Following this, they will undertake two paid supernumerary clinical shifts at the Lyell McEwin Hospital, supported by the university and NAHLN clinical staff. This phase is funded by YNA, which also employs and insures the midwives, facilitating a series of eight shifts over three months in selected maternity wards at the Lyell McEwin Hospital to complete their retraining process.
The RESET-M pilot lead investigator, Dr Megan Cooper, at Flinders University, says the aim of the program is to support midwives who have the ambition and drive to return to clinical midwifery practice to regain confidence in their knowledge and skill base. Re-engagement of skilled clinicians will reduce attrition and increase workforce numbers.
“Currently, there is no intervention in South Australia that supports midwives to return to the clinical environment when they leave the workforce temporarily, for example, if they have a family or follow another career path in education. The RESET-M program is specifically designed to enable participants to regain midwifery knowledge and skills to enhance their confidence in returning to clinical midwifery practice. If successful, there is potential for the program to be rolled out in other local health networks, and modified for other disciplines in the health service.”
“The program reinforces key midwifery skills and covers clinical updates, protocol changes, obstetric emergencies, and the latest midwifery research to inform best practice. Content is aligned with the Midwife Standards for Practice and the National Safety and Quality Health Care Service Standards. We really hope to address current staff retention challenges in health services to grow the pool of midwives in SA.”
Pilot study investigator, Kate Hepburn-Brown at Your Nursing Agency, says YNA have been supporting midwives to return to clinical practice and gain confidence in informal ways for some time.
“We have been looking for a more structured way to support our staff. We feel so privileged to be engaged in this partnership as we know the results from this program and the opportunities from this frame work will be positive and supportive for midwives and the workforce. YNA can already see the potential for this program nationally and in other clinical sectors in the future and that is really exciting.”
NALHN Divisional Director Nursing and Midwifery, Meredith Hobbs said “Returning to a clinical environment after an extended period can be daunting. In nursing and midwifery especially, the landscape is ever-evolving with the introduction of new techniques, research, policies and technology to ensure we continue delivering high-quality patient care.”
“While welcoming new midwives to the profession is important, so too is retaining experienced staff who can support and develop the next generation.”
“We are delighted to be working in partnership with Flinders University and Your Nursing Agency on this unique pilot program, offering a quick pathway for experienced midwives to re-join the workforce, while making sure they are supported each step of the way.” Flinders University launches innovative midwife re-entry scheme to revitalise SA Health sector”.
For more information click here.
More News
