Association of Ontario Midwives Summer 2012

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AOM Conference and Annual General Meeting Strength in numbers: supporting the growth of midwifery When Minister of Health and Long-Term Care Deb Matthews stopped by the Annual General Meeting and Conference closing ceremonies to announce funding for a practice in Attawapiskat, the crowd responded with a standing ovation. Funding a practice for a remote Aboriginal community in great need garnered an emotional reaction from members. This continued support for the growth of midwifery is key as the first class of the expanded Midwifery Education Program (MEP) graduates this spring. The MEP now enrolls 90 Elizabeth Brandeis, RM new students each AOM vice-president year at the three sites combined, compared with 60 prior to 2008. There are more than 600 midwives currently practicing in Ontario and by 2015 it is anticipated there will be more than 1,000. This year’s conference theme, Strength in Numbers, Supporting the Growth of Midwifery, addressed the need for careful thought about shaping a growing profession and addressing the challenges inherent to that growth. Conference presenter and assistant dean of midwifery at McMaster University Eileen Hutton says the larger number of students has created a challenge with regard to physical space for clinical placements. “When we were starting out, practices were new, underutilized, there was lots of space,” Hutton says. “Now practices have more midwives but they haven’t changed space . . . so even if the birth capacity is there, the space availability isn’t.” Finding non-midwifery clinical placements is also proving to be difficult as other health education programs are also looking to grow their professions. “We have more students, but the medical programs have also grown quite a lot . . . so there is direct competition for spots,” Hutton says. Fundamental changes both within the profession and beyond will have to be explored to help address the changing needs of a growing profession, Hutton says. “Having our own standards allow us to advocate on behalf of our clients who may choose care that may not be reflected in other professional guidelines yet is evidence-based, reasonable and safe.” Universities may need to work with hospitals to change how placements work; Hutton suggested a “package deal” where hospitals who want medical residents also get midwifery students, nursing students and physiotherapy students, among others. As the profession grows, some hospitals are capping the number of midwives practicing there. Hospitals and health care providers need to work together to find solutions to support the growth of midwifery. For example, having OBs on salary would enable midwives to attend increasing numbers of low-risk births, Hutton suggested. Association of Ontario Midwives vice-president Elizabeth Brandeis’s conference panel presentation focused on how a greater understanding is needed of both the similarities and differences between the midwifery model and care provided by obstetricians and other providers. “It’s important to establish where common ground exists,” she says. “Working in interprofessional groups like MoreOB and labour and delivery committees allows midwives to interact on a more personal level with leaders in the hospital and set the tone for understanding the foundation on which differences may exist and when common standards are appropriate.” She noted that advocating for midwifery community standards is an essential part of growing a strong profession. “If we don’t have our own midwifery community standards, we are forced to conform to other established standards,” she says. “Having our own standards allows us to advocate on behalf of our clients who may choose care that may not be reflected in other professional guidelines yet is evidencebased, reasonable and safe.” Advocating for midwifery standards in a hospital setting and educating other professionals about midwifery is critical. Brandeis says midwives should initiate conversation via planning a rounds or presenting to a committee. Using tools such as clinical practice guidelines (CPG) can depersonalize conflict and show hospital colleagues that midwives are part of a wellinformed professional community. “Our clients come to us with the expectation that their choices will be respected and supported. CPGs provide a framework for us to inform and support our clients in a range of diverse choices,” she says. “When the conversation is about the client and supporting her autonomy and choice, the issues can move away from ‘us vs. them’ and focus on client-centred, evidence-based care that supports normal birth.” Providing support toward the kind of research that informs tools such as the CPGs is an important next step in moving midwifery forward, Hutton says. Though other professions can tap into dedicated pockets of funding, such as hospital competitions, midwives have few funding streams to support research. “In the last 20 years we’ve focused on building a very strong education program and strong practices . . . and we are getting to a size where we can put money into (research),” Hutton says. “Practice didn’t evolve without lots of support, and I think research is no different.” One of the benefits of expanding the MEP and growing the number of midwives is that strength really does come in numbers. Now more than ever, midwives can capitalize on opportunities for creating new practices, improving hospital relations, and advocating for dedicated research funds. 6 ontario midwife • Summer 2012
Top left to right: National Aboriginal Council of Midwives (NACM) Vice-President Kerry Bebee with Aboriginal midwife Dorothy Green; AOM members Natalie Kirby and Melissa Bevan check out the exhibitor booths Centre left to right: Suzanne McGurn, Assistant Deputy Minister, Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care and AOM board member Esther Willms; Members Mary Sharpe and Elana Johnson visit with Opening Ceremonies speaker and Toronto Star columnist Catherine Porter; Members Jasmine Chatelain and Aimée Carbonneau share a conference hug Bottom left to right: Canadian Association of Midwives (CAM) President Anne Wilson and AOM President Lisa Weston; HIROC CEO Peter Flattery, AOM Director of Insurance and Risk Management Bobbi Soderstrom and Rogers Partners LLB Sr. Partner Don Rogers ; Registered Nurses Association of Ontario (RNAO) President Rhonda Seidman-Carlson, RNAO CEO Doris Grinspun and AOM Executive Director Kelly Stadelbauer
Page 1 and 2: Association of Ontario Midwives Sum
Page 3 and 4: Advocacy Midwives protest planned c
Page 5: Above: Attorney General John Gerret
Page 9 and 10: Heather Heinrichs (Laurentian) Thou
Page 11 and 12: Clinical Practice Guidelines Update

Association of Ontario Midwives Summer 2012

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