WORKING AS A COORDINATOR MIDWIFE IN A TERTIARY ...

Alice reveals she has to subconsciously think how best to act in situations to achieve the
objectives she sets as situations are thrown at her. Her story illustrates the importance of
her leadership which is enmeshed within the complexities of doctors learning process in
the delivery suite setting. Malloch and Porter-O’Grady (2005) cite Ann McKay
Thompson who writes “If you face a delicate situation, don’t go into it wearing your
spurs or you’ll rip it apart. Instead, dress for the occasion. Cloak yourself in diplomacy.
Vest yourself with wisdom, and wear a smile” (p.64). This is exactly what Alice did in
her story. A vaginal examination is an intimate but often necessary intrusion of personal
privacy for a woman in the tertiary delivery suite setting. Alice is realistic and
acknowledges that her approach may not always work, however she recognizes the best
way to play her part for the provision of appropriate safe care for women during her shift.
She knows this course does not always run smoothly and that effecting change is not
always successful but it does not stop her trying her best to summon up the skills to
manage situations as they arise.
Irene offers her story:
I came on duty and took over charge of the delivery suite. They had quite a
number of women waiting for caesarean sections and hadn’t prioritised who was
going first, although there was still some elective surgery needed to be done. One
of the women waiting had ruptured her membranes with a breech presentation.
Instead of being proactive the midwife caring for her had just called the house
surgeon and wanted them to do a speculum examination to actually see how much
those contractions had been doing.
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