ADC 20
14
Call for MLUs in every maternity hospital
The INMO is to immediately
engage in negotiations with
the HSE and the Department
of Health to establish midwifery-led maternity units in
every major maternity hospital
in the country.
Proposing a motion
t o t h i s e n d, Te r r y C l a r k e,
Drogheda Branch, said that
the midwifery­- led unit commenced as a pilot service in
Drogheda and Cavan hospitals. The two units are now
approaching their 10th anniversary with in excess of 1,000
babies delivered safely under
the care of midwives.
“ The MidU Study, which
evaluated the service, concluded that the two units in
the Irish setting proves that
low risk women delivered
under exclusive midwifery
care had no greater risk of
adverse neonatal outcome
than those cared for in obstetric-led units.
“The mothers delivered had
increased benefits of knowing their midwife, a greater
feeling of empowerment, and
the advantage of postnatal
visits. In a time when we are
seeing highly qualified and
newly qualified midwives leaving the country, it would be of
benefit to both the health services and the clients that the
HSE invest in the rich resource
of the midwives’ unique skills
and knowledge already available to them,” said Ms Clarke.
She added that removing
the lowest risk women to midwifery-led units would assist
dedicated midwives with
their obstetric colleagues to
concentrate on the identified
higher-risk obstetric women,
thus promoting patient safety.
Despite this demonstrable
safety benefit, last year 19%
of women delivered babies
in the consultant-led unit in
Drogheda hospital that could
have been delivered in the
midwifery-led section, with an
associated significant cost saving to the HSE.
Ve r o n i c a Fa r l e y, C a v a n
branch, told the AGM that
evidence wor ldwide supp o r t s m i d w i fe r y - l e d c a re
for low-risk women, and the
Drogheda/Cavan pilot units
were intended to provide Irish
evidence to support this well
known fact, paving the way for
the establishment of similar
Terry Clarke, Drogheda Branch
units in all the major hospitals
nationwide.
“This has not happened,”
she stressed. “Mainly because
there was not enough pressure politically and other units
did not push forward enough
either, due in part to a lack of
support from the consultants
as a group, because of their
perceived loss of autonomy;
midwives as a profession not
pushing for it enough; hospital
management not supporting
it; and not enough vocal advocates for the cause.
“So today I urge the conference, you as delegates, you as
potential parents and grandparents, to support the motion
and to give the women of Ireland the choice they deserve.”
Mary Leahy of the executive council recommended
that the INMO should ensure
t h a t wo m e n w h o o p t fo r
midwifery-led care are also
entitled to avail of a private
room, using their pr ivate
health insurance, should they
so wish. At present, only a consultant can sanction this.
Tralee nurse announced as 2014 ‘Preceptor of the Year’
The winner of this year’s Preceptor of the Year award was
Orla Quirke. Orla works on St
Brendan’s Ward in the Bon
Secours Hospital, Tralee, Co.
Kerry. Deirdre Lynch, a firstyear student, studying in Tralee
Institute of Technology nominated Orla for the award.
This award recognises the
vital work of preceptors and
their importance to nursing
and midwifery education. The
award is generously sponsored
by Cornmarket Group Financial
Services Ltd.
Mak ing the nomination,
Deirdre said that Orla’s enthu-
siastic approach to both the
patients in her care and the
students was “palpable”.
“Orla always made time
to answer my questions and
to check on how my clinical
placement was going. I would
say Orla’s professionalism and
genuine interest are inspirational both to me, presently
as a student nurse and for my
future in nursing.
“Orla’s eagerness to teach is
admirable and very much welcomed. She put me at my ease
and encouraged me ever y
step of my placement,” said
Deirdre.
Preceptor of the year award 2014: Pictured at the ADC were: (l-r): Ivan Ahern, director of marketing and distribution, Cornmarket; Orla Quirke, winner of the preceptor of
the year award; Claire Mahon, INMO president; and Liam Doran, INMO general secretary
WIN
June 2014 Vol 22 Iss 5
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