Clinical Midwife Specialist, University Maternity Hospital

Cork University Maternity Hospital (CUMH) is a 150 bedded Tertiary Referral Centre for Maternity, Neonatology and Gynaecology located on the campus of Cork University Hospital. CUMH incorporates the Obstetric, Gynaecology and Neonatology Services in the Cork University Hospital Group within the Health Service Executive South West region. CUMH has approximately 7, 000 births per annum and is a tertiary referral centre.

Services at CUMH are delivered within the HSE South West region which is based on the principles of partnership and integration and strongly supports the involvement of the multidisciplinary team in service provision.

CUMH is the site for clinical placements for student midwives and student nurses in undergraduate and postgraduate programmes delivered in partnership with University College Cork.

CUMH Services incorporates the use of the MN-CMS (Maternal Newborn Clinical Management System) into care delivered at CUMH.

There are four Maternity Units in the HSE South West – University Hospital Waterford, University Hospital Kerry, Cork University Maternity Hospital and South Tipperary University Hospital - spanning four of the largest counties in the country. Maternity Services include Neonatology and Gynaecology as well as Midwifery and Obstetrics.

The Group’s Primary Academic partner is University College Cork. A wide range of educational programmes and research is conducted within all hospitals in the Group.

The Clinical Midwife Specialist will provide advanced knowledge and expertise in the provision of fetal assessment / ultrasonography and gynaecological ultrasound to a caseload of high and low risk women. This specialist knowledge and expertise will assist the multidisciplinary team to expedite diagnoses, reduce perinatal mortality, reduce the likelihood of misdiagnosis of miscarriage, reduce unnecessary delays in diagnosis and identify prenatal fetal anomalies.

Purpose of Post

The purpose of this Clinical Midwife Specialist Ultrasound post is to deliver care in line with the five core concepts of the role as set out in the Framework for the establishment of Clinical Midwife Specialist Posts 4th edition, National Council of the Professional Development of Nursing and Midwifery (NCMN2008).

The Clinical Midwife Specialist (Ultrasound) will provide clinical expertise and support to staff working in Maternity and Gynaecology Service. S/he will provide leadership in the delivery of specialised services and will ensure the ultrasound service including Fetal Assessment and Day Services are a part of a dynamic and growing health care facility catering for the health needs of women at all stages during pregnancy and those requiring Gynaecology services. The Clinical Midwife Specialist (Ultrasound) will carry out the duties appropriate to an Ultrasonographer in relation to the specialist area, and support and supervise staff in training.

Caseload

All women attending the Maternity services for the duration of their pregnancy both as outpatients and antenatal inpatients requiring ongoing monitoring. All women attending the Gynaecology services requiring ultrasound services.

The Clinical Midwife Specialist (Ultrasound) will be required to liaise closely with the Consultant Obstetrician/Gynaecologist to discuss findings as required.