A chara, - The current exodus of midwives is creating chaos in the maternity hospitals and the focus is now on where the midwives are going. To suggest, as the Master of Holles Street Maternity Hospital does, that they are leaving to take up less stressful jobs as public health nurses is misguided. It also does a serious injustice to all nurses working in the community who are trying, against all odds, to meet the demands created by early hospital discharges (including mothers and infants) and long waiting lists.
I would like to make three points. Firstly, midwives in maternity hospitals do very important work but the work undertaken by other nurses, whether in hospital or community settings, is equally important.
Secondly, all public health nurses are already midwives - it is not possible to become a public health nurse without having a midwifery qualification. In addition to a nursing and midwifery qualification, public health nurses also undertake a full-time, calendar year higher diploma in either University College Dublin or University College Cork. Pay is given on the basis of additional education and this is why public health nurses are paid more than midwives.
Finally, the debate should focus on why midwives, nurses and public health nurses are leaving the health services and not on where they are going. - Yours, etc.,
SinΘad Hanafin, M Sc., RGN, RM, DPHN, Blarney, Co Cork.