Two local women have joined the ranks of midwives at Manning Base Hospital and are eager to begin their careers.
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Melissa Borg and Wednesday Bannerman have entered the hospital's new graduate program for midwives after completing their Bachelor of Midwifery degrees at University of Newcastle at the end of 2020.
They moved straight from three years of study and placements into their new positions on February 1.
Thankfully, the maternity ward was very familiar to both of them, as Melissa completed all of her placements at the hospital, while Wednesday spent the last semester of placement there.
While Wednesday delivered her first baby as a registered midwife on Thursday night, February 25, the duo gained plenty of experience before completing their studies.
To become a registered midwife, you have to have attended at least 25 normal births, 15 complex births, and 10 caesareans. And they follow their patients through from pregnancy to post birth.
Wednesday enjoys preparing women for birth antenatally, while Melissa prefers looking after women post birth and transitioning them into motherhood.
Due to our shortage of midwives we're just so happy we've got some home-grown midwives we've been able to get some graduate positions here, who hopefully want to stay for the years to come!
- Maternity Unit manager Lyn Murray
The pair is happy to call Manning Base home, and enjoy the familiarity and comfort a small hospital brings. The also enjoy the higher levels of independence their job requires in a smaller hospital.
"They have a lot of responsibility, because at times they can be the sole practitioner making that decision and escalating the situation," maternity unit manager, Lyn Murray said.
In addition to the two full time midwives, the hospital has also employed two graduates as casuals.
"They've been amazing. They're a really good bunch of midwives that have come through. I think our educators have put a lot of time and effort into getting them where they are. I think their level of capability for where they're at is above what other hospitals produce, because they spend a lot of time with them.
"Due to our shortage of midwives we're just so happy we've got some home-grown midwives we've been able to get some graduate positions here, who hopefully want to stay for the years to come!"
Julia Driscoll
Julia Driscoll has worked as a journalist for the Wingham Chronicle and Manning River Times for seven years. She values the deep connection with community that being a rural and regional journalist brings. Career highlights have involved environmental stories - bringing the plight of the little known endangered Manning River helmeted turtle to the attention of the public, resulting in wide-spread knowledge in the community and conservation action; and breaking the news of the Manning River ceasing to run for the first time in recorded history.
Julia Driscoll has worked as a journalist for the Wingham Chronicle and Manning River Times for seven years. She values the deep connection with community that being a rural and regional journalist brings. Career highlights have involved environmental stories - bringing the plight of the little known endangered Manning River helmeted turtle to the attention of the public, resulting in wide-spread knowledge in the community and conservation action; and breaking the news of the Manning River ceasing to run for the first time in recorded history.
