Survey
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
Forum MERAS update – how your union can support you through your career Caroline Conroy MERAS Organiser MERAS is often asked what the benefits are of joining a union. Beyond the obvious of negotiating a collective employment agreement that determines pay and work conditions, MERAS is able to support midwives in a range of ways as they journey through their career. For new graduate midwives MERAS is able to offer a range of support as they make that transition from student to confident midwife. The majority of new graduate midwives will be eligible for the lower fee option for MERAS membership, given most will have earned very little in the previous year. For those new graduate midwives who choose to work in a district health board some will find themselves working in unfamiliar hospitals with midwives they do not know. Many of the larger DHBs offer new graduate programmes and others will usually offer comprehensive orientation programmes. However there are times when the reality of these programmes and the expectations that the new graduate has do not live up to the reality. Staffing levels can change quickly and a new graduate may find herself working in ward areas that are short of experienced staff and she may be faced with clinical situations beyond what she could reasonably be "FOR NEW GRADUATE MIDWIVES MERAS IS ABLE TO OFFER A RANGE OF SUPPORT AS THEY MAKE THAT TRANSITION FROM STUDENT TO CONFIDENT MIDWIFE." 12 Midwifery News March 2014 "MERAS WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN DEVELOPING A QUALITY AND LEADERSHIP PROGRAMME FOR MIDWIVES SO THAT THE CLINICAL EXPERTISE THAT MIDWIVES DEVELOP WAS RECOGNISED AND VALUED." expected to cope with. If these situations arise MERAS can support new graduate midwives in discussing their concerns with their managers and hopefully improving the situation for them. As the midwife's range of clinical experience and skills develop within the DHB hopefully she will be encouraged to apply for and complete the Quality and Leadership Programme (QLP). MERAS was instrumental in developing a quality and leadership programme for midwives so that the clinical expertise that midwives develop was recognised and valued. The QLP is a national framework that is transferable if midwives move from one DHB to another. MERAS has facilitated several workshops around the country to encourage more midwives to complete the QLP process and receive the funding recognition that is part of this. As midwives progress through their career there may be occasions when they are appointed to a new midwifery role or the role that they are in has evolved to the extent that the midwife feels that the pay step or grade that she is on does not reflect the role and responsibility of her job. In these situations MERAS can assist and support midwives to ensure that any new role is paid at the appropriate rate and also assist midwives in getting their pay step or grade reviewed. There may be times in a midwife’s career when the service or role that she works in is reviewed or disestablished in some way. In these situations MERAS will support midwives through any consultation process, assisting them in writing submissions and lobbying for their preferred outcome. MERAS will also support midwives individually in any change process to identify the best option for them in terms of future employment opportunities whether it may be redeployment, redundancy or a new position. During her career a midwife may be asked by the DHB to account for particular clinical decisions that she has made or be involved in situations that could lead to disciplinary action. In these situations MERAS plays an important role in supporting the midwife and ensuring that she gets a fair hearing. Midwives sometimes worry that in these situations they need to seek the services a lawyer. As a union member MERAS is well placed to provide the support that is needed and this service is funded as part of the membership fees that midwives pay to MERAS. A midwife may also find during her career that issues arise in relation to sick leave entitlement, annual leave requests, study leave entitlements, maternity leave provisions or retirement planning. All these issues may involve discussions with managers or human resources departments to resolve and again MERAS is available to provide support and advice to the midwife. The important aspect in all the above situations is that midwives make contact with their MERAS workplace representative, or with MERAS General Manager Bernard McIlhone or myself, as Organiser for Auckland, Northland and Waikato as soon possible so that we can hopefully resolve the matter quickly. For MERAS Membership e-mail [email protected] or call 03 372 9738 Visit us online at www.midwife.org.nz