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In late 2022, we reported on the beginnings of the Victorian maternal and child health nurse student employment model – an equivalent role to registered undergraduate students of nursing (RUSONs) and midwifery (RUSOMs).
The model is a collaboration between ANMF (Vic Branch) and the Victorian Department of Health, Safer Care Victoria, the Municipal Association of Victoria, the Victorian Association of Maternal and Child Health Nurses, and Latrobe, RMIT and Federation universities.
At the time of our last report, the Branch had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between with Department of Health and the Municipal Association of Victoria to approve the employment model.
We are pleased to now be able to report that Moira Shire Council has signed an MoU with ANMF and is the first to implement the Victorian maternal and child health nurse student (VMCHN) employment model – with the first students having begun their employment. Wyndham City Council and Melton City Council are also in discussion with ANMF about implementing the model.
What is the model and how does it work?
The Victorian maternal and child health nurse student employment model will be time-limited additional workforce model aimed at increasing capacity and service delivery for maternal and child health workforces with staff shortages, and who are under an agreed Council Action Plan and ANMF (Vic Branch) MOU.
The employment model will see registered nurses and midwives who are undertaking the postgraduate diploma in child and family health being employed by local government councils. To be eligible, the individual must have satisfactorily completed:
- a minimum of 150 hours of clinical placement in the MCH service
- the theoretical content to support universal MCH nursing practice.
Several key principles underpin the model, among them:
- The VMCHN employment model does not form part of the accredited postgraduate diploma (or equivalent) of child and family health. Hours worked in the VMCHN employment model do not count towards clinical placement hours. Employment in this model should not compromise the student’s completion of their MCH tertiary studies.
- The council will employ the student to undertake maternal and child health services within a limited scope of practice to families with infants aged 0 to 6 weeks, in line with the scope of practice of a registered nurse and registered midwife.
- The student will be employed at one MCH service for a minimum of one day per week up to a maximum of three days per week.
- The student will be paid 95 percent of the MCH nurse Year 1 rate of pay.
- To maximise access to clinical support, it is preferrable that the student is rostered to work in a dual nurse MCH centre where possible.
- To promote continuity of care it is preferable that the student is rostered to work where a vacancy exists so potentially, based on employment suitability and completion of their postgraduate studies, the student’s employer may make a permanent offer of employment to an MCH nurse position at the council in this location.
- On any given day, there must not be more than one student rostered per centre.
- The student will receive mentorship and clinical support from a suitably experienced MCH nurse, as well as separate support provided by line management. At all times the student must have timely access to an experienced MCH nurse for support.
- The student will participate in clinical supervision provided by the MCH service.
- The student will not be allocated to work within the Enhanced MCH program.
- The student will not be allocated to lead or coordinate parent groups, or to provide group work or outreach visits as part of the sleep and settling model of care.
- The employment period as a student will continue until the student is qualified as a MCH nurse.
