WORKING AS A COORDINATOR MIDWIFE IN A TERTIARY ...

accorded an approach which I believed contributed to ‘safe practice’. I felt comfortable
for this colleague to double check, and more so if I felt tired. This contributed to positive
inter-collegial relationships, but is it always perceived this way by LMCs? I found myself
asking how coordinators relate with LMCs in the delivery suite environment and how do
they manage their ‘need to know’ what is happening behind closed doors.
My perspectives of partnership in the tertiary setting
The concept of partnership has been central to New Zealand midwifery practice since the
changes in legislation. Pairman (1999) describes ‘woman centredness’ as the philosophy
which underpins the midwifery partnership, and identifies the LMC as the professional
who establishes a partnership with her clients, based on the continuity of care model.
Partnership is also described by Pairman (1999) as a concept where there is recognition
that both partners hold power with the balance of power requiring negotiation and
agreement. Pairman cites Foucault (1980) who wrote that power should not be imposed
from above. The coordinator works in partnership with a wide range of professionals in
the delivery suite setting. Coordinators hold power in their workplace and I was
interested how they utilize partnership and power in their daily work.
I recall an LMC caring for her client who was birthing twins in a secondary care
situation. The client and her LMC within an informed consent partnership had
documented a birth plan which excluded doctors and DHB midwifery staff from the room
unless they were invited in. No one knew what was happening in that room. The
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