New graduates can apply for nurse jobs

During the first few months and years of a child’s life, a child health nurse is a vital source of help and advice for parents.

Known as maternal and child health nurses in Victoria, they give advice to families on issues such as sleep or breastfeeding problems, growth and development, nutrition and the parents’ health.

Beginning with a home visit within 10 days of a baby’s birth, maternal and child health nurses in Victoria provide 10 visits up until the child is 3.5.

Christine Cooper, maternal and child health co-ordinator for the City of Monash in Melbourne, says there is great satisfaction from working with families and seeing children grow from babyhood into childhood.

“There’s a lot of job satisfaction because you’re working with families, and you have the opportunity to coach them and provide them with education in early parenting roles,” she says.

“In many communities the maternal and child health nurse, particularly in rural and country areas, is the pivotal person they go to when they need support.”

Monash is advertising for a maternal and child health nurse, and new graduates are encouraged to apply.

Cooper says maternal and child health nurses need excellent communication, interpersonal and problem-solving skills, need to be welcoming and open, able to educate in an accessible way, and have a flexible approach when working with families.

They need a good knowledge of children’s health and development, and knowledge of other services that are available if families need additional help.

Cooper says the job is quite different to what our grandparents might remember. The focus is no longer on weighing the baby. Now there is an emphasis on health promotion and women’s health, and ensuring families are connected to other community services.

“There are not many careers where you have the opportunity to work so closely with families and to make a difference.”

Melton Shire council in Melbourne recently advertised for a maternal and child health clinical practice team leader, who will lead and support the team of 21 nurses. Candidates need experience in staff management and must foster effective working relationships, says Bev Shaw, the council’s maternal and child health nurse co-ordinator. “We’re in a high-growth corridor here, so things move at a pretty rapid pace, so they need to be well-organised, with good administration and time-management skills,” Shaw says.

To do the job in Victoria, you need to be a registered nurse and registered midwife, and have additional qualifications in maternal and child health nursing. The need for a high level of qualifications may be partly why there is a shortage of maternal and child health nurses.

Shaw says the advantage of maternal and child health nursing is being able to work weekdays rather than shift work, with less pressure than a hospital.

Shaw says the region is experiencing rapid growth and the demand for maternal and child health nurses will continue. “We’ve got the highest percentage of under 15-year-olds in Victoria. So the growth rate is going to continue for some time.”