Job Opening: Registered Midwife
Job Title: Registered Midwife
Organization: Alberta Health Services/ Tree de la Vie Midwifery
Position Posted: September 28, 2022
Location: Plamondon, AB
Positions starts: As soon as possible
Type: Full time practice. One (1) Registered Midwife position is available in Lac La Biche, and may work full-time or part-time at the successful candidate’s discretion.
Midwifery Services-Alberta Context
In Alberta, Midwifery Services are funded through Alberta Health Services (AHS). AHS contracts with midwifery practices to provide services in a geographic area, and individual registered midwives work with a contracted midwifery practice. As the funders of midwifery services within AHS, the Provincial Midwifery Administrative Office will recruit Registered Midwives to available positions in a geographic area, based on community need and resource availability, as outlined in the AHS Midwifery Staff Bylaws and Rules. We are happy to provide further context around midwifery services in Alberta to candidates contacted for an interview.
Role Description
Position will remain open until a suitable candidate is found. This position will provide midwifery services to clients in the AHS North Zone in Lac La Biche, Plamondon and surrounding areas. RMs are not employees of AHS, but contracted providers who are granted an AHS Midwifery Staff Appointment and Clinical Privileges in the geographic area where they practice.
Responsibilities include, but may not be limited to:
Reside in the community of Lac la Biche County or surrounding areas
Provide midwifery services within the community of Lac La Biche, Plamondon and surrounding areas
Contribute to and participate in teaching programs and activities
Contribute to and participate in other administrative responsibilities as assigned
Work collaboratively as part of the maternal care team in the community of Lac a Biche
Qualifications
This role requires the applicant to be eligible for registration with the College of Midwives of Alberta (CMA). Prior to beginning practice in the community, the successful candidate will require a valid Practice Permit from the CMA, and hold appropriate liability insurance. Position will remain open until a suitable candidate is found. Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.
About Plamondon/Lac La Biche, Alberta
As your playground of opportunity, Lac La Biche County is a community of choice in northeastern Alberta. The hamlets of Lac La Biche and Plamondon are the urban service areas for a municipality covering more than 12,000 square kilometres. Rolling farmland, panoramic lake views and tranquil forests are all right in our backyard. The community has all of the amenities you need to live, learn, work, raise a family or retire here. The same qualities that made this region attractive in the olden days still apply in modern times: we have abundant resources, a pristine environment and room to grow Tree de la Vie Midwifery is located in Plamondon, a quiet hamlet within Lac La Biche county located 227 km North west of Edmonton and 265km South West of Fort McMurray. The area is surrounded by plenty of nature and several lakes including the popular Lakeland Provincial Park Canoe circuit. It is a great place to relocate with a family as there are numerous well-reputed schools and a wide variety of extra-curricular activities and opportunities.
Find out more about Lac La Biche County.
Find out more about Lakeland Provincial Recreation Area.
The main hospital supporting pregnant people and their families is William J. Cadzow - Lac La Biche Healthcare Centre. This facility provides a range of healthcare services including a 24/7 emergency department
Local Midwifery Services
Currently this area is served by Tree de la Vie Midwifery with two Registered Midwives providing care to families in the area for a number of years. This practice is well integrated into the community, works collaboratively with other primary care providers, and is part of the on-call services in the community. Marianne King, RM Chantal Gauthier-Vaillancourt, RM describe Tree de la Vie Midwifery as a quaint and cozy Midwifery clinic and ‘Birth House’ that is meant to feel like a ‘home away from home’. The Midwifery practice serves more than 50% of the pregnant population in the area as well as caring for people who are willing to travel to Plamondon or Lac La Biche from numerous surrounding communities for prenatal care and birth.
The practice is looking for an experienced midwife who is comfortable working in a rural health care setting which may mean reduced resources as well as having gaps of no anesthetic coverage. The Registered Midwives have a very supportive relationship with the local nursing staff and general practitioners who do obstetrical care. The midwives collaborate directly with the area’s ´Mom Care Team’ and the local level 1 health centre by providing 7-14 days of hospital call coverage per month for hospital births. Midwifery clients of Tree de la Vie Midwifery enjoy having a choice of birth place with approximately 70% of Clients choosing to birth outside of the hospital. Tree de la Vie Midwifery also provides alternative care as part of their services including but not limited to:
educational engagements
centering pregnancy for the general population
dad/non pregnant partner groups
breastfeeding support
‘pampered pap days’ for the community at large as part of their sexual and reproductive health care component.
Plamondon is surrounded by a wide variety of tight knit cultural groups including: Francophone, Russian Orthodox community, Hutterite and Mennonite colonies, Lebanese, Filipino, Ukrainian and several Indigenous communities. A genuine curiosity and a commitment to cultural safety and a strong understanding of reconciliation are essential. Tree de la Vie Midwifery is located in a beautiful and multicultural county and hope to attract someone who understands the limitations of rural living but can appreciate the freedom and flexibility of practicing in such a unique area. As you would be working in a rural area you can expect more driving required then when working in an urban environment. Adding a third midwife to the practice would support a better work/life balance for the midwives along with helping to do more outreach work and increased support to outlying communities in the region that do not have any obstetrical services. The practice is open to ideas and different models of care and are looking for an open minded and enthusiastic addition to their solid team!
Compensation
Remuneration for midwifery services through AHS will be funded through a contracted midwifery practice. AHS is committed to working with rural midwifery practices to enable service provision to targeted, vulnerable and indigenous populations. This position is funded through a Midwifery Alternate Relationship Plan to support services in the community through both standard courses of care and alternative services provide by a RM.
Interested Applicants
Please send your resume to midwives@ahs.ca.