Newly Qualified Midwife

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Duties and responsibilities:
Professional:
1.    Maintain a professional Portfolio.
2.    Maintain accurate and contemporaneous records at all times, both written and computerised.
3.    Administer and supply medicines under NPO/PGDs and Medicines Act of 1968 and North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust Medicines Policy.
4.    Actively promote the concept of total holistic woman centred care within the maternity services in both hospital and community.
5.    Advise on the promotion of health and education and social care and the prevention of illness.
6.    Recognise and appropriately manage complex physical, emotional and psychological situations that may be detrimental to the health and well-being of mother and baby.
7.    Devise and develop a plan of midwifery care based on assessment in association with mother, taking into account her individual personalised needs and preferences.
8.    Implement the plan of midwifery care and where appropriate co-ordinate other members of the multi-disciplinary team responsible for implementing specific aspects of the care.
9.    Review the effectiveness of the care provided, and where appropriate, initiates any further action that may be required, liaising with appropriate agencies. 
10.    Acts at all time in accordance with the NMC Midwives Rules and Standards Code of Conduct (ensures working colleagues also act in accordance with Code of Conduct) and within the principles of the scope of professional practice and ensures other members of the team also work within these.
11.    Carry out midwifery procedures in accordance with Midwifery Guidelines, Policies and Standards.  Undertakes and demonstrates midwifery and nursing tasks in the best interest of patient care and professional standards.   With appropriate training and support this will include:
•    Providing personalised care throughout the pregnancy and post-natal period working in collaboration with the woman/birthing person to support her to make informed choices about her care.
•    Provide antenatal care in line with National and local guidelines, making appropriate and timely referrals and consulting with senior colleagues in the case of any complexity.
•    Carrying out any required assessments during the antenatal period such as BP, urinalysis, obtaining specimens and abdominal assessment and refer appropriately
•    Be able to offer dietary and lifestyle advice and refer as necessary
•    Understand and be able to inform service users about the screening pathway and ensure screening takes place within the required time frame when possible
•    Assess psychological and social wellbeing and refer if any concerns
•    Be confident in discussing infant feeding options 
•    Be prepared to participate in parent education
•    Provide woman-centred intrapartum care in a variety of settings
•    Administration of medication
•    Provide postnatal support for mother and baby ensuring processes are followed to identify the deteriorating patient or baby
•    Support with infant feeding
•    Discharge women home from the hospital setting and the community

12.    Help to maintain a safe and efficient environment for the physical, social and psychological well-being of mothers, babies, and colleagues.
13.    Maintain a safe and sensitive environment.
14.    Maintain awareness of new developments and research in midwifery and the profession as a whole, contributing and reviewing new guidelines as appropriate.
15.    Awareness of the role of the midwife and management of complex social situations and ‘life event’ situations, child protection, stillbirth and bereavement, domestic violence.
16.    Ability to manage a caseload of women with minimal support utilising planning and organisational skills.
17.    Undertakes the midwifery assessment of the woman/neonate including risk assessments e.g. tissue viability, falls.

Administration:
1.    Ensure that all nursing and administrative policies and procedures and circulars within North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust are adhered to.
2.    Ensure that the Ward/Department is maintained in good order and to a high standard, that supplies are adequate, and that all equipment is safe.
3.    Ensure that the appropriate and efficient use of supplies is made and exercise economy in the use of consumables.
4.    Share the responsibility for the day to day running of the Ward with other trained staff, including covering the duty roster.
5.    Liaise continuously with the Ward Sister/ Clinical Midwife Specialist/Head Midwife and ensure that effective communication systems are maintained within the Ward/Department.
6.    Liaises appropriately with the Bleep Holder
7.    Take all measures to ensure the safety of the woman – reporting all accidents and incidents, completing relevant documentation and undertakes further investigation as directed.
Additional duties required of midwives who have completed their preceptorship period.
8.    In the absence of the Sister to manage the process for the deployment of staff in the event of sickness, ensuring that staff are deployed with due consideration to their qualifications and experience.
9.    Under the guidance of the Midwifery Sister draw up duty rotas.
10.    In the absence of the Midwifery Sister report all absenteeism, lateness and sickness to the Maternity bleep holder.

Personnel:
1.    To act as a role model in professional and personal attributes for all members of staff.
2.    To maintain IT skills to ensure accurate recording and retrieval of all patient information.
3.    Ensure that all learners are adequately supervised during their allocation and that they are given sufficient opportunity to gain the appropriate experience.
4.    Liaise closely with the Ward Sister on the progress of all learners.   
5.    Maintain close liaison with the Practice Educators and Practice Development Midwife attached to the Maternity Unit.
6.    Monitor and actively support the work of Maternity Care Assistant staff within the Ward/Department to ensure that the highest professional standards are maintained.
Additional duties required of midwives who have completed their preceptorship period.
7.    Assist with induction programmes for newly appointed staff and act as a preceptor/mentor.
8.    Provide training and guidance to Maternity Care Assistant and junior staff as necessary.
9.    Undertakes the Individual Performance Review of qualified and unqualified staff in the ward, develop personal development plans with those staff and feed back to the Ward Sister.
10.    Participate in the appropriate on-call rota dependent on allocation within the maternity services.

Education:
1.    Maintain and enhances own knowledge through continuing education, training and research activities.
2.    Participate fully with all education activities during the preceptorship year including:
•    Orientation
•    Trust Wide and local preceptorship study days
•    Skills sessions (including perineal suturing, IV cannulation etc..)
•    Drug calculations and IV Drug Therapy Passport course
•    Trust and department specific mandatory training
3.    Is able to identify gaps in knowledge and takes action to address them, either liaising with the PDMs, ward managers or senior midwives or by self-directed learning.  
4.    Maintains a suitable learning environment for student midwives
5.    Is conversant with the current curricula from the University.  Acts as a ward link with the University.
6.    Acts as a mentor/assessor to students and assess their performance, liaising with the lecturers/Practice Educators where necessary.  
7.    Encourages and supports staff development.
8.    Take part in an individual performance review, reviewing personal development and performance in consultation with the Ward Manager/Matron.
9.    Takes on board the principles of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and life-long learning to ensure practice is up to date and evidence-based.
10.    Keeps a record of all learning activities to demonstrate CPD at time of revalidation.

Quality and Development:
1.    Initiate, facilitate and participate in audits as required
2.    Identify possible changes in practice in the ward environment and plan and manage the change process.
3.    Ensure that any complaints are dealt with professionally and are escalated appropriately according to Trust policy.
4.    Participate in working groups and/or projects within the Trust.

General:
1.    Promotes a positive ward image by a professional and helpful approach to all team members and visitors to the ward.
2.    Assist in other Wards/Departments as requested by the senior midwife on duty
3.    Undertake any other duties as requested by the Bleep Holder / Coordinator
4.    Initiate and undertake approved clinical nursing research and audit with the Ward/Department.
5.    To be conversant with the fire and emergency procedures and moving and handling.
6.    Assist the Shift Co-ordinator/Ward Manager to maintain a safe, clean, pleasant and therapeutic environment taking remedial action when necessary.
7.    Assist the Ward Sister in ensuring infection control policies and procedures are adhered to and take remedial action when they are not.
8.    Adherence to the Uniform policy
9.    Commitment to the Trust Vision and Values
10.    To fully adopt and encompass the Trust’s Objectives, Service Standards and Code of Conduct into their daily working practices.

This job description is intended as a guide to the main duties of the post and is not intended to be a prescriptive document. Duties may change to meet the needs of the service or because of the introduction of new practices or technology or the change in the need for the service. This job description may be reviewed from time to time and changed, after consultation with the postholder.  Please note: Some of the duties listed will not be expected to be carried out during your preceptorship period but will become part of your duties once you have gained a sufficient level of experience.