WORKING AS A COORDINATOR MIDWIFE IN A TERTIARY ...

Irene explains:
Being the coordinator feels as though I am the hub and I am in the centre of a
circle with the multidisciplinary team who surround me each doing their jobs.
By coordinating I am giving directions and receiving directions. Directions travel
in and out of the circle. I am at the interface when directions come into the circle
and as a coordinator I send directions out. It is a constant in out interplay of
communication with colleagues about a variety of topics ranging from clear
instructions to practice directives to positive reinforcement. The coordinator is
constantly in the middle of everything that is going on.
As the coordinator, Irene is pivotal to the smooth and safe running of the delivery suite
during her shift. There is a sense of fluidity in her work and of weaving threads together
to make things whole. Effective communication skills are the basis of her management
style and her ability to listen and respond appropriately shines through in her descriptions
of working with colleagues. She gives and she receives with no sense of power play
conveyed in her interview.
Alice speaks about ‘being the pivot’:
‘Being the pivot’
You try to make the system work and I think you are a very pivotal person in that
respect. I was saying the other day “what do I really like about my job?” because
I do nothing but moan about it. I like being a pivotal person that things happen
around, I get a buzz out of that I suppose.
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