New Midwifery Education Centre provides state-of-the-art learning environment

Providing a dedicated learning environment for midwifery students to actively engage in all facets of midwifery was the impetus for establishing a Midwifery Education Centre located at St John of God Subiaco Hospital (SJOGSH). A result of collaboration between The University of Notre Dame Australia and SJOGSH, the new centre was funded by Health Workforce Australia (HWA). Members of the Executive teams from Notre Dame and St John of God, along with their staff, and guests attended the blessing and official opening of the centre on 6 September 2012. Fr Bryan Tiernan SAC blessed the building and The Hon Mr Jim McGinty, Chair of Board of HWA, addressed the gathering. HWA is an Australian Government initiative established to address the challenges of providing a skilled, flexible and innovative health workforce that meets the needs of the Australian community. The project involved remodeling an area within SJOG House (opposite the main Hospital) which now provides state-of-the-art equipment, offering valuable teaching resources for students. Curriculum is delivered by Notre Dame nursing and midwifery academics, and clinical midwifery coordinators from the SJOGSH. Notre Dame introduced a midwifery course at the beginning of 2012 after three years of planning and extensive research, explains Professor Selma Alliex, Dean of the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Fremantle and Broome. Our first post graduate midwifery student cohort started on the Fremantle Campus in the middle of this year and we immediately began professional education in the learning hub. The purpose-built centre includes a lecture theatre, simulated birthing unit equipped with its own viewing window and virtual mother/fetus. Through this course and the Satellite Midwifery hub we have consolidated a strategy to further strengthen our relationship with our clinical partners, especially SJOGSH. We are very proud and happy with our long and successful relationship with SJOGSH and we are very grateful to HWA for funding the learning hub. I am confident it will enhance our students\u27 learning. MEDIA CONTACT:Michelle Ebbs: Tel (08) 9433 0610; Mob 0408 959 138Leigh Dawson: Tel (08) 9433 0569; Mob 0405 441 09