Report
The future of the midwifery workforce in Australia: Position paper
p.17
Council of Deans of Nursing and Midwifery (Australia & New Zealand)
2023
Appears in Recent Faculty of Health Publications
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Abstract
The Midwifery Advisory Group of the Council of Deans of Nursing and Midwifery (ANZ) prepared this paper to inform decision makers about a pressing need for workforce reforms.
The Australian midwifery workforce faces significant attrition. The number of clinically practising midwives aged 45–54 has fallen by 40% since 2013. This is a substantial loss of
skills and leadership experience.
The paper identifies six causal factors: ineffectual leadership, occupational burnout, lack of professional recognition, insufficient opportunities to practise midwifery continuity of carer, shortage of clinical practice placements, and a deficit of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, and cultural and linguistic diversity across the workforce. Action is urgently needed.
A review of national and international research identified initiatives and practices that could improve midwifery retention and workforce sustainability. Effectively adopting these and
other initiatives would ideally position midwifery to deal with current and future challenges. Accordingly, the Council of Deans of Nursing and Midwifery makes six recommendations on behalf of Australian universities providing tertiary education for the midwifery sector.
Details
- Title
- The future of the midwifery workforce in Australia: Position paper
- Creators
- Julie Jomeen - Southern Cross UniversityTracy Humphrey - University of South AustraliaKathleen Baird - University of Technology SydneyRobyn Maude - Victoria University of WellingtonDianne Bloxsome - Edith Cowan UniversityAngela Brown - University of South AustraliaAmanda Carter - Griffith UniversityAllison Cummins - University of NewcastleGina Kruger - Victoria UniversityMichelle Newtown - La Trobe UniversityVirginia Stulz - Western Sydney UniversityMoira Williamson - Central Queensland University
- Contributors
- Midwifery Advisory Group of the Council of Deans of Nursing and Midwifery (ANZ) (Author)
- Publication Details
- p.17
- Publisher
- Council of Deans of Nursing and Midwifery (Australia & New Zealand)
- Number of pages
- 1
- Identifiers
- 991013135811702368
- Copyright
- © 2023 CDNM
- Academic Unit
- Faculty of Health; Nursing
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Report