Maternity Support Worker

at  University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust

A fantastic opportunity has arisen for an experienced Band 3 maternity support worker to join our community midwifery team . You will be part of a team of community midwives and maternity support workers who support and provide care to women during the antenatal and postnatal period.
You will also work collaboratively with the wider community team offering support where needed.
Are you passionate and committed to making a difference? Are you able to provide compassionate and targeted maternity support? This is an fantastic opportunity to develop your skills and knowledge within community midwifery
This post is community based so you must have access to a car. Includes weekend and bank holiday working.
Clinical
To undertake tasks such as venepuncture and obtain capillary samples of blood via heel prick, including neonatal screening tests as delegated by the midwife
Calculation of the mothers BMI
Obtain urine samples from mothers and perform urinalysis
Support women with general personal and oral hygiene
Undertake, record routine maternal vital signs as delegated by the midwife, and report to the midwife any concerns: temp, pulse, respiratory rate and blood pressure
Recognise signs of ill-health in mothers and babies and report immediately to midwife
Promote skin-to-skin contact with healthy babies and their mothers/fathers
Process microbiological specimens (e.g. from wounds)
To support women in their chosen method of infant feeding in line with Unicef and Baby Friendly Initiative and report any concerns in relation to feeding to the midwife * Position and comfort of breastfeeding women including the position and attachment of the baby * Support women with hand expression of breast milk * Assist women to use a breast pump * Support mothers with artificial feeding including demonstration of how to prepare an artificial feed and equipment care
Discuss changing stool and micturition of normal neonate
Weigh baby and record and report any concerns immediately to midwife in order that a plan of care can be developed
Skin care including awareness of the potential seriousness of skin rashes
University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust is one of the largest and most modern in the country. We serve around three million people and we’re highly regarded for our facilities, teaching and research. The Trust has around 1,450 inpatient beds across two sites in Stoke-on-Trent and Stafford. Our 11,000 strong workforce provide emergency treatment, planned operations and medical care from Royal Stoke University Hospital and County Hospital in Stafford.
We are the specialist centre for major trauma for the North Midlands and North Wales. We have put together a wide range of development packages aimed at ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to fulfil their potential. Our goal is to be a world-class centre of achievement, where patients receive the highest standards of care and the best people come to learn, work and research.
Clinical
If required, perform basic adult or neonatal life support competently until further assistance is available or assist midwives in an emergency situation e.g. telephone for urgent help/fetch equipment
Provide postnatal advice to women in relation to bladder care, including removal of urinary catheters, following ASQUAM Bladder care guidelines
Provide routine, basic postnatal discharge information as delegated by midwife
Follow plan of care as devised by midwife in relation to the care of premature babies
Report any concerns regarding safeguarding to the midwife on duty or other appropriate registered professional or Named Midwife for safeguarding
Observe and advise mother on care of cord including recognition of abnormalities and reporting these to a midwife
Recognise and report to a midwife potential signs of neonatal jaundice, undertaking Minolta readings and reporting findings to allow for a plan of care to be developed
Communication
Act in an approachable and professional manner to all mothers and their families and extended professionals involved in providing holistic care
Provide one to one information, advice and support to vulnerable or high risk mothers in respect of public health, breast and artificial feeding, parenting skills and family adjustment
Promote healthy living through the provision of information and advice as required and directed on: nutritional health, postnatal diet and smoking cessation, public health, travel safety and sudden infant death syndrome
Inform parents of benefits of breast feeding
Immediately refer patients anxieties, potential problems or complaints to the midwife or signpost to the appropriate service/agency in line with Trust Policy
Provide appropriate advice, within their level of knowledge, to parents in aspects of parenting in relation to the baby’s wellbeing and safety
Awareness of other agencies that offer social and health support, liaising with multi-agency team as necessary
Participate in multi-agency/ disciplinary meetings when appropriate
Follow written and verbal instructions by the midwife in relation to the care of the mother and baby
Clearly document care given to mother and baby in the electronic and paper records in line with Trust Policy
Ensure patient confidentiality and privacy is maintained at all times
Take messages either by telephone and personally and ensure they are accurately relayed to the appropriate person
Ensure that communication with other departments required for the efficient management of patient care takes place in a timely fashion, liaising appropriately with the member of staff co-ordinating the care of patients
Take part in the appraisal process as per Trust Policy annually with first appraisal conducted 6 months from appointment
Administrative
Ensure data quality is maintained through electronic and written admissions/discharges
Identify and report faulty equipment
Input and retrieve data into and from computer systems, e.g. Medway, K2, iPortal
Maintain and update data collection tools
Participate in collating data and audit
Governance
Ensure that all advice and care given is within their sphere of duties and is clearly documented in the medical notes
Complies with all Trust and Departmental policies and guidelines
Organises workload in order to give timely and appropriate care and support
Is aware of own limitations and boundaries of role
Attends core group and child in need meetings if require

Please refer the Job description for details