Position overview
Women, Youth, and Children Community Health Programs provide essential, community-based primary health care services for women, children, and families. The Maternal, Child, and Family Health (MACH) team, delivers universal and targeted support, including an intake and triage service, and initial home visits for families after discharge from ACT and surrounding NSW maternity services. Our universal services offer nine key child health contact points from birth to five years of age, ensuring a comprehensive approach to promote infant growth and development, breastfeeding, early identification of child health concerns, and support for parenting wellbeing. Nurses and midwives in MACH play a pivotal role in the lives of families, guided by the National Framework for Universal Child & Family Health Services and the seven standards in the National Standards of Practice for Maternal, Child, and Family Health Nurses in Australia (2017). MACH is at the forefront of early intervention, offering critical support that promotes healthy development, strengthens family dynamics, and enhances overall well-being. Working within a Family Partnership Model, MACH collaborates with a multidisciplinary team to provide holistic, family-centred care. Supporting families, parents, and carers to build skills and confidence in their parenting role is a core element of the ACT Children and Young People Plan 2015-2025. MACH service extends beyond individual families to benefit the wider community through, health promotion, breastfeeding advocacy, child safety education, immunisation and emotional wellbeing support for parents, influencing a healthier community and brighter futures.
Key Responsibilities
Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:
Under limited direction of the Clinical Nurse/Midwifery Manager (CNM), you will perform your work collaboratively across the ACT. You will:
- Provide high quality direct clinical care to clients in the child and family health context in accordance with primary health care principles and practices, while incorporating the role, vision and values of Canberra Health Services.
- Effectively communicate with children and their families to accurately assess health needs to plan, implement and evaluate interventions in accordance with existing practice standards, health promotion and illness/injury prevention strategies.
- Assume responsibility for professional self-development in accordance with AHPRA requirements and demonstrate commitment to life-long learning. Actively participate in professional activities and forums related to clinical nursing practice and decision making, health promotion, quality improvement, education and the development of maternal and child health policy.
- Ensure a sound evidence base for clinical practice through appraisal and utilisation of contemporary research findings.
- Demonstrate a commitment to, and an understanding of the National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards and ensuring a positive patient experience. Practice in accordance with the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Council’s Code of Professional Conduct, Code of Ethics for Nurses in Australia and relevant, validated professional practice competencies.
- Demonstrate leadership and autonomy, foster collegial relationships and role model professional behaviours within the WYCCHP and across CHS, as well as demonstrating a commitment to proactively seeking solutions when issues arise.
- Actively contribute to education, support, clinical supervision and preceptorship of new staff and students in the maternal and child health care context.
- Undertake other duties appropriate to this level of classification which contribute to the operation of the organisation.
Competencies
Specific responsibilities include but are not limited to the following.
To be successful in this position, it is expected that the successful candidate will have the following attributes:
- Strong organisational skills with a high degree of drive and able to contribute positively to team culture.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
- Demonstrates kindness to colleagues and clients.
- Adaptability and flexibility to accommodate change and provide responsive services to meet clients’ needs.
Qualifications
Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following.
Essential
- Be registered or be eligible for nurse and/ or midwife registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).
- Hold the relevant post graduate qualifications in Child and Family Health, and a minimum of two years’ experience working professionally in a maternal child and family health settings.
- Hold a current driver’s licence
Desirable
- Additional tertiary qualifications, including midwifery, paediatrics and education.
- Family Partnership Model and/or Circle of Security Training.
- International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant.
- Have an understanding of how the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) indicators align with this role.
Experience
Essential
- Minimum of 4 years’ postgraduate experience in nursing and/or midwifery - full time equivalent.
- Minimum two (2) years working in maternal child and family health specialty organisation/service.
- Experience in advanced lactation and breastfeeding.
Desirable
- Prior experience in midwifery, paediatrics and education
- Experience in advanced lactation and breastfeeding
- Experience or knowledge of the CHS Exceptional Care Framework, and all other related frameworks.
Prior to commencement
- Undergo a pre-employment National Police Check.
- Comply with Canberra Health Services Occupational Assessment, Screening and Vaccination policy.
- Provide the names of two referees, including a current manager.
Important information
All employees are required to:
- Adhere to the Canberra Health Services Values and the ACT Public Service Code of Conduct
- Act in accordance and comply with all relevant Safety and Quality policies and procedures.
- Comply with all relevant clinical and/or competency standards.
CHS is leading the drive to digitally transform health service delivery in Australia through the implementation of a territory wide Digital Health Record. Computer literacy skills are required which are relevant to this role as you will be responsible for completing required documentation and becoming a proficient user of the Digital Health Record and/or other Information Technology systems; once proficient, you will need to remain current with changes, updates, and contingencies.
What you Require (Key Selection Criteria)
These are the key selection criteria for how you will be assessed in conjunction with your resumé and experience.
- Demonstrated knowledge, experience and competence at an advanced level of practice within the speciality of Child and Family Health, in primary health care using Family Partnership skills to achieve positive health outcomes for clients.
- Proven ability to communicate effectively to foster a positive workplace culture and demonstrated ability of using a collaborative and solution-focused approach in a multidisciplinary setting to deliver optimal health outcomes.
- Demonstrated commitment to delivering evidence-based clinical care by providing examples of conducting quality improvement initiatives, utilising evidence informed practice, that enhance professional practice, improve health outcomes, and contribute to the development of policies and audit processes.
- Demonstrated competence in utilising health information technology, including electronic health records, to enhance service delivery. contributing to informed decision-making within the healthcare system.
- Demonstrates understanding of, and adherence to, safety and quality standards, work, health and safety (WH&S) and the positive patient experience. Displays behaviour consistent with CHS’s values of reliable, progressive, respectful and kind.
Work environment description
The following work environment description outlines the inherent requirements of the role and indicates how frequently each of these requirements would need to be performed. Please note that the ACT Public Service is committed to providing reasonable adjustments and ensuring all individuals have equal opportunities in the workplace.
| Administrative | Frequency |
|---|---|
| Telephone use | Frequently |
| General computer use | Frequently |
| Extensive keying/data entry | Occasionally |
| Graphical/analytical based | Occasionally |
| Sitting at a desk | Frequently |
| Standing for long periods | Occasionally |
| Psychosocial demands | Frequency |
|---|---|
| Distressed People e.g. Emergency or grief situations | Occasionally |
| Aggressive & Uncooperative People e.g. drug / alcohol, dementia, mental illness | Occasionally |
| Unpredictable People e.g. Dementia, mental illness, head injuries | Occasionally |
| Restraining e.g. involvement in physical containment of clients/consumers | Never |
| Exposure to Distressing Situations e.g. Child abuse, viewing dead / mutilated bodies; verbal abuse; domestic violence; suicide | Never |
| Physical demands | Frequency |
|---|---|
| Distance walking (large buildings or inter-building transit) | Occasionally |
| Working outdoors | Occasionally |
| Manual handling | Frequency |
|---|---|
| Lifting 0 - 9kg | Occasionally |
| Lifting 10 - 15kg | Never |
| Lifting 16kg+ | Never |
| Climbing | Never |
| Running | Never |
| Reaching | Frequently |
| Kneeling | Occasionally |
| Foot and leg movement | Occasionally |
| Hand, arm and grasping movements | Frequently |
| Bending/squatting | Frequently |
| Bend/Lean Forward from Waist/Trunk twisting | Frequently |
| Push/pull | Frequently |
| Sequential repetitive movements in a short amount of time | Occasionally |
| Travel | Frequency |
|---|---|
| Frequent travel – multiple work sites | Frequently |
| Frequent travel – driving | Frequently |
| Specific hazards | Frequency |
|---|---|
| Working at heights | Never |
| Exposure to extreme temperatures | Never |
| Operation of heavy machinery e.g. forklift | Never |
| Confined spaces | Never |
| Excessive noise | Never |
| Low lighting | Never |
| Handling of dangerous goods/equipment e.g. gases; liquids; biological. | Never |
| Slippery or uneven surfaces | Never |
Directorate: Canberra Health Services
Division: Women, Youth and Children
Business Unit: Maternal Child and Family Health (MACH)
Position number: P46325
Position title: Registered Nurse and/or Registered Midwife Level 2 - Maternal and Child Health Nurse
Classification: Registered Nurse and/or Registered Midwife Level 2
Location: ACT Community Health Centres
Reporting relationships: Manager MACH and Clinical Nurse/ Midwifery Manager
Canberra Health Services (CHS) is focussed on the delivery of high quality, effective, person-centred care. We provide acute, sub-acute, primary and community‐based health services, to the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and surrounding regions. More information can be found on the CHS website.
Our Vision: creating exceptional health care together
Our Role: to be a health service that is trusted by our community
Our Values: Reliable, Progressive, Respectful and Kind