For Saskia Macdonald, moving back to her hometown of Mackay to complete a graduate midwifery program was a no-brainer.
The 23-year-old registered nurse had been living and working in Brisbane when Mater Private Hospital Mackay introduced fee-free midwifery courses.
Ms Macdonald said the opportunity to broaden her skillset was all the incentive she needed to return to Mackay and her family.
“Being a student is difficult financially, so having Mater pay for my midwifery graduate course has been a great help,” Ms Macdonald said.
“They put a lot of time into the program to help educate us and to develop our skills, as well as our confidence.
“I’d recommend it to any nurse considering doing a midwifery course.”
Colleague, Ella Hitchcock, 21, relocated to Mackay from Brisbane to take up the opportunity for the fee-free course and to live closer to her partner.
“My partner works in the mines and Mackay offered work opportunities for both of us, so it worked out well,” Ms Hitchcock said.
Also a registered nurse, Ms Hitchcock started at Mater Private Hospital Mackay in February this year and began her midwifery studies in June.
“I’ve always wanted to be a midwife and it’s a privilege helping birth babies and support mums through the experience,” she said.
Mater Midwifery Nurse Unit Manager of Maternity, Paediatrics and Women’s Health Sarah Fordyce said Mater pays the midwifery course fees–around $5,000–for each student to make it easier for registered nurses to expand their skillsets.
“Essentially, Mater pays the nurses for the 1,000 hours of practical experience they need become fully qualified midwives whereas most midwifery students are unpaid during their practical experience,” Ms Fordyce said.
Ms Fordyce was instrumental in starting the fee-free midwife program last year, which requires graduates to work at Mater Private Hospital Mackay for two years after completing the course.
“We are very focused on building our midwifery workforce and we ensure that students are getting hands-on experience while working here in the hospital,” she said.
“They are also able to do a more intensive online course which enables them to graduate after 12 months, instead of 18 or 24 months.”
Mater Private Hospital Mackay General Manager Karen Wade said the hospital has more than 25 full time and part-time midwives who support the delivery of around 500 babies every year.
She said the fee-free midwifery course initiative was ensuring Mackay mothers and babies had access to highly skilled midwives close to home.
“We’re very proud of our student midwife program and have two graduates who’ve just finished and become fully qualified, now working in the hospital,” Ms Wade said.
“We also have three students graduating in January and another two in June next year.”
Mater’s fee-free midwife program aims to take three new students each year on the condition that they are already registered nurses and residents of Mackay or willing to move to the area.
For more information about the fee-free midwifery course, email or phone 07 4965 5870.