Working as a midwife in Gisborne, New Zealand

Sarah Stewart April 2008

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 New Zealand License

Image: 'Lone evening surfer.' www.flickr.com/photos/18095953@N00/161747599

http://sarah-stewart.blogspot.com

http://sarahstewart-eportfolio.wikispaces.com/Employment+History

•Rural community

•Isolated

•30,000 people

Image: 'Art deco time.'

www.flickr.com/photos/18095953@N00/161750574

•High Maori population

•Agriculture

•Forestry

•Wine

Image: 'Maori Fence'

www.flickr.com/photos/22443621@N00/51318380

Maori:

•High unemployment

•Poor health statistics

•Higher mortality

•Lower life expectancy

Downtown Gisborne: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattandbecky/2197426688

Worked as LMC: provided total midwifery care from conception to 6 weeks after baby was born

Image: 'Gisborne.'

www.flickr.com/photos/18095953@N00/109055812

Being LMC: full professional autonomy

Brings huge responsibility but is very rewarding

Image: 'Southwest of Gisborne.'

www.flickr.com/photos/18095953@N00/109443179

Developed advanced midwifery skills:

•Assessment

•Actions

•Cannulation

•Perineal suturing

•Waterbirth

•Home birth

Image: 'Gisborne from Kaiti Hill' www.flickr.com/photos/37191669@N00/89059667

Image: 'Haka in the rain' www.flickr.com/photos/44124385307@N01/471300486

http://www.flickr.com/photos/felipeskroski/281731096/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/felipeskroski/281731394/in/set-72157594349065720

http://www.flickr.com/photos/smthpal/2390200328/

Image: 'vines' www.flickr.com/photos/82198730@N00/81125582

Image: 'placenta and amniotic sac - _MG_3995' www.flickr.com/photos/43927576@N00/289148405

Image: 'Like watercolours.'

www.flickr.com/photos/18095953@N00/161747951

Image: 'Wainui'

www.flickr.com/photos/54447069@N00/29629253

Gisborne: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kaij/218646241/

Tolaga Bay: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattandbecky/2202548445/in/set-72157603725595788/

Gisborne Harbour: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kaij/218650927/

Reference:

Stewart, S. 2001. What’s it like to work in . . . New Zealand. The Practising Midwife, 4 (10): 34-37.