A midwife is a regulated health practitioner who holds registration as a midwife with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA). In Australia, the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law protects the title ‘midwife’.
The moment you see a new baby come into the world, with the family, still to this day will give me tears and shivers. Chandler, Registered Midwife
The moment you see a new baby come into the world, with the family, still to this day will give me tears and shivers.
As a student, you will be provided with a variety of midwifery practice experiences over the course of the program. This is inclusive of experience gained in providing continuity of care by establishing, maintaining, and concluding a professional relationship with women through their pregnancy, labour and birth, and the postnatal period. This clinical experience may, at times, be in addition to your contracted hours of employment.
To become a midwife using the MidStart process, registered nurses are enrolled in a recognised postgraduate midwifery program at one of six partnering universities, while being concurrently employed in a dedicated midwifery student position in a NSW public maternity service. The length of a postgraduate midwifery program varies between twelve months and two years.
The salary paid as a postgraduate midwifery student (once verification has occurred) will reflect your years of service as a Registered Nurse (Division 1) and in accordance with the NSW Public Health System Nurses’ and Midwives’ (State) Award 2023.
At every stage of the clinical program I felt supported and nurtured by these colleagues to acquire the skills, language and confidence to work in true partnership with women and their families. It has been such a rewarding and fulfilling career move. Postgraduate midwifery student
At every stage of the clinical program I felt supported and nurtured by these colleagues to acquire the skills, language and confidence to work in true partnership with women and their families. It has been such a rewarding and fulfilling career move.
We have developed an innovative mentoring program that's embedded into midwifery practice across all training and clinical facilities. The Mentoring in Midwifery program supports the midwifery profession develop leadership at all levels and helps in the retention of a strong, confident and skilled midwifery workforce.
You will develop a reciprocal learning relationship that expands opportunities for connection, learning and growth for both midwives and students.
Each phase enhances learning through a professional relationship-centred approach. Processes for continuous reflection, learning and feedback are woven into the program.
Mentors and mentees experience a sense of safety, belonging, achievement, significance, purpose and continuity (Senses Framework).
As a midwifery student working in NSW Health, you will have the opportunity to have a mentor who has skills to support and develop your practice.
I love that no matter what birth, what experience, whatever’s happening, it’s always different every day. Jenna, Clinical Midwifery Educator
I love that no matter what birth, what experience, whatever’s happening, it’s always different every day.