The challenge of employing and managing new graduate midwives in midwifery group practices in hospitals.

Abstract

This study explores the views of midwifery managers and key stakeholders, regarding the facilitators and barriers to employing new graduate midwives in midwifery continuity of care models. Maternity services in Australia are shifting towards midwifery continuity of care models, where midwives work in small group practices, requiring a change to the management of staff. Public policy in Australia supports maternity services to be reconfigured in this way. Historically, experienced midwives work in these models, as demand grows; new graduates are employed to staff the models. A qualitative descriptive approach exploring the manager's experience of employing new graduate's in the models. Managers, clinical educators and hospital midwifery consultants (n=15) were recruited by purposeful sampling. Drivers, enablers, facilitators and barriers to employing new graduates in the models were identified. Visionary leadership enabled the managers to employ new graduates in the models through initial and ongoing support. Managing the myths stemming from fear of employing new graduates to work in midwifery continuity of care models was challenging. Managers and other key stakeholders provide initial and ongoing support through orientation and providing a reduced workload. Visionary leadership can be seen as critical to supporting new graduates into midwifery continuity of care models. The challenges for management to overcome include managing the myths stemming from fear of employing new graduates to work in a flexible way around the needs of the women within an organisation culture.