|
|
|
Graduate midwives set to stay in the New England region
29 January 2009
Four new midwives graduating from Hunter New England Health’s innovative Rural Midwifery Education Program tomorrow (Friday 30 January) will further add to midwife numbers in the New England region this year.
The graduation, to be held at Armidale Community Health Centre, will be a fitting celebration for successful graduands - Monica Gibson (Tamworth), Kylie Moran (Moree), Michele Saunders (Inverell) and Renee Haycock (Armidale).
Three of the four midwives will remain employed with Hunter New England Health after completing a year-long distance education Postgraduate Diploma of Midwifery.
The course is offered by Hunter New England Health through the Rural Midwifery Education Program, in conjunction with Charles Sturt University, and allows the nurses to learn on-the-job by rotating between Armidale, Inverell, Moree and Tamworth maternity wards.
Kylie Moran, who completed the majority of her training in Moree, said the program was the ideal way to fulfil her dream of becoming a midwife while continuing to work fulltime.
“I looked into a lot of midwifery courses but the Rural Midwifery Education Program was an on-the-job learning experience I couldn’t pass up,” Kylie said.
“The great thing about this year was that I worked along side experienced doctors and midwives while I studied the theory component. The course itself was great but to learn from real experience was invaluable.”
Kylie said the course had kept her close to home and opened up some ideal work opportunities for 2009.
“I’m originally from Inverell so it was great that I was able to rotate through some different hospitals to get a broad experience without going too far from home,” Kylie said.
“The icing on the cake is that I’ve been offered a midwife position at Inverell Hospital in 2009, so it’s been a great year all-round.”
The Rural Midwifery Education Program has helped more than 70 midwives complete their training since 1993.
The graduate midwives and the senior Hunter New England Health staff who trained them throughout 2008 will be available for media interviews at the graduation. The ceremony will be held at Armidale Community Health Centre at 2.30pm tomorrow (Friday 30 January).
Contact: Emma Gibbs
Phone: 6767 7137 or 0428 114 767
|
|
|