Maternity Support Worker | Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust

We are seeking a competent and motivated individual to work within our ANTENATAL CLINIC at Nottingham University Hospitals. The candidate needs to demonstrate reliability, flexibility and be highly motivated and seeking a challenge and who thrive in a busy environment - you must be committed to co-operative team working at all times. The post is part time 31.5 hours per week, based at both City and QMC campus as required due to service need. Our antenatal maternity support workers play a pivotal role within our multi-professional team, providing support to the team and high-quality care to pregnant women in line with national recommendations. The role is demanding yet rewarding. The role entails undertaking observations when patients attend Antenatal Clinic as well as taking blood for investigations. Chaperoning patients during examinations is a key part of the role as well as ordering stock and ensuring the smooth running of clinic.,

• Undertake planned delegated care as part of the midwifery team, delivering high standards of clinical, physical, psychological and social aspects of care under the supervision of a registered practitioner
• Work in partnership with women and their families developing and maintaining positive relationships, support informed decision making and respect the woman and their family's wishes
• Work within limits of own competence and authority in line with the MSW's scope of practice in the national framework to inform care planning in line with national and local guidance, escalating to the multi-disciplinary team to avoid harm as required
• Work collaboratively as part of a team.
• Promote a professional, welcoming and caring environment.
• Have a positive attitude and consistently demonstrate the Trust's values and behaviours, Undertake planned delegated care as part of the midwifery team, delivering high standards of clinical, physical, psychological and social aspects of care under the supervision of a registered practitioner
• Work in partnership with women and their families developing and maintaining positive relationships, support informed decision making and respect the woman and their family's wishes
• Work within limits of own competence and authority in line with the MSW's scope of practice in the national framework to inform care planning in line with national and local guidance, escalating to the multi-disciplinary team to avoid harm as required
• Work collaboratively as part of a team.
• Promote a professional, welcoming and caring environment.
• Have a positive attitude and consistently demonstrate the Trust's values and behaviours
Care of the Woman
• Manage own time and caseload effectively prioritising care needs of women and their babies under the direction and supervision of the associated professional
• Escort women, birthing people and their families between clinical areas as required
• Support women during clinical procedures and act as chaperone when requested to do so.
• Assist with the admission, orientation and discharge of women and their babies in accordance with local policy and guidance.
• Communicate effectively and clarify understanding with women and their families in all settings and be able to select appropriate methods to communicate when a disability or complexity may exist.
• Understand and gain consent before providing care.
• Undertake baseline and routine observations and measurements (and escalate any deviation from the normal range) to the named midwife or appropriate member of the multi-disciplinary team.
• Provide support to labouring women if asked to do so, and under the supervision of the midwife, this may include application of TENS machine or teaching breathing and Massage techniques.
• Perform cannulation, venipuncture or capillary blood sampling in line with national standards and local policy and guidance following completion of relevant competencies training
• Assist in the maintenance and understand the principles of good bladder care, removal of catheter and disposal of equipment following infection control policy and to accurately document fluid balance.
• Assist in the nutrition and hydration needs of women and birthing people.
• Assist women and birthing people with mobilisation following surgical procedures and removal of dressings or cannula under direction of the midwife or nurse
• Assist with the transportation of blood products if asked to do so and have an awareness of the storage requirements.
Obstetric and Neonatal Emergencies
• Assist /act as a runner in obstetric theatres including: To support and assist the midwife in the woman's preparation for transfer to theatre
• To document times and personnel present in theatre records for each procedure
• To undertake WHO checklist
• To count swabs and needles in instrumental/operative delivery
• Recognise and act upon, within own parameters of competence, any abnormal events or emergencies, escalating to the multi-disciplinary team in a timely manner.
• Assist the Midwife with neonatal resuscitation where required, this may include collecting and/or passing equipment
Care of the Newborn
• Undertake neonatal observations under direct and indirect supervision and escalate any deviations from the normal range appropriately and in a timely manner, following the completion of practical and theoretical competency training.
• Observe the overall wellbeing of the newborn and escalate any concerns to named midwife or multi-professional team in a timely manner.
• Provide practical support and transition to parenthood for new parents when caring for their newborn, whilst promoting safety, bonding and teaching parenting skills in both the hospital and home settings.
• To assist or perform neonatal blood sampling including tests such as newborn blood spot and Serum bilirubin ratio (SBR) test as directed by the midwife, following successful completion of appropriate competency training
Infant Feeding
• Have the knowledge and skills to support initiation and maintenance of breastfeeding
• Understand the importance of skin-to-skin contact to support infant feeding and how to facilitate this within practice promoting responsive feeding to feeding cues
• Understand principles and mechanisms of attachment and positioning for effective feeding in line with BFI standards
• Be aware of the range of circumstances which can affect lactation and breastfeeding and be able to support mothers to overcome common challenges and make appropriate referrals when necessary (e.g midwife/health visitor/infant feeding lead)
• Understand how to help women continue breastfeeding should supplementation be required
• Support with expressing and storage of breastmilk to include hand and pump expression technique and the use of cup feeding
• Be aware of the main constituents of human milk and their function, including Colostrum and Mature breastmilk
• Appreciate the importance and the role of human milk and breastfeeding to improve the health and wellbeing outcomes for infants, their mothers and the wider family and in promoting and protecting public health.
• Understand the functional anatomy and physiology of lactation and hormonal influences on milk production and mothering. As well as the role of the Feedback Inhibitor of Lactation (FIL)
• Be able to support parents who formula feed to do so responsively and as safely as possible including minimising the risks, to make up feeds, how to sterilise equipment, how to hold a baby and pace the feeds.
• Develop an understanding of the importance of secure mother-infant attachment and the impact this has on health and emotional wellbeing, irrespective of feeding method
• Understand the importance of the WHO International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes and subsequent WHA Resolutions (the Code) and how it impacts on practice.
Health Promotion and Screening
• Maintain an up to date knowledge base about local and national antenatal and newborn screening services and signpost women, birthing people and their families to appropriately qualified practitioners if they are undecided or have concerns.
• Have an understanding and advise families about newborn blood spot screening, immunisations and produce GROW Charts following successful completion of the appropriate competencies training.
• Recognise and promote the principles of behaviour changes required in health promotion activities including diet, food hygiene, exercise, personal hygiene and smoking cessation. (For example, assess CO levels and signposting to local service appropriately as per policy guidance).
• Complete the relevant documentation for screening tests performed in the maternity records.
• Recognise any deterioration in mental and emotional wellbeing and respond appropriately, escalating to a midwife to enable an appropriate care pathway.
• Be aware of and understand the current policy and service frameworks for mental health (e.g. Mental Capacity Act, Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards and Mental Health Act) and how they impact on your role.
• Be aware of perinatal mental health issues and the appropriate referral pathway including escalation to the multi-disciplinary team within home or hospital setting.
Safe Environment
• Understand and abide by the local infection control policy and procedure.
• Act responsibly in respect of colleagues' health, safety and welfare following safety at work practices including lone working, complying with local health and safety policy and guidance.
• Ensure the cleanliness of equipment in all clinical and non-clinical areas and assist the midwife in appropriately preparing the environment.
• Ensure adequate stock levels are maintained in all clinical settings, and equipment is available; escalate any depletion of stock or resources in a timely manner.
• Assist in stocking up and cleaning all home birth team equipment if required.
• Ensure the working order of equipment, reporting any concerns, faults or breakages to the appropriate person in a timely manner.
• Report any incidents or concerns using Datix and escalate such concerns or incidents appropriately and in a timely manner.
• Participate in the audit of standards within the unit as and when required
Administrative Duties
• Ensure that all clinical documentation written or electronic is accurately and confidentially collected, updated, stored and filed in accordance with local information governance and record keeping policy and guidance.
• Provide administrative support to the midwifery team as required
• Maintain confidentiality and data protection in line with local information governance and in accordance with legal requirements for tracking, obtaining, and filing clinical records
Professional Attitudes and responsibilities
• Convey an approachable and professional manner to all mothers, birthing people and their families.
• Demonstrate an awareness of discriminatory attitudes and challenge this behaviour to promote equality. Recognise how to support people from protected characteristics groups which includes: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation (Equality Act 2010)
• Ensure that knowledge of local safeguarding policy and procedure is maintained and used appropriately referring issues of concern in a timely manner.
• To be vigilant of Child Protection issues and refer issues of concern in a timely manner to registered midwife complying with legal requirements.
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Come and join our wonderful team at NUH. We are big believers in diversity and welcome new ideas to help develop our team in order to deliver world class healthcare to the vast patient populations we serve. With endless personal development opportunities available, at NUH we will endeavour to turn your job into a career! We particularly welcome applications from people who identify as Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic, or Disabled, as we are striving to be better represented at NUH.