Hundreds of student midwives from around Australia have descended on Sea World at the Gold Coast where Griffith University is sponsoring Australia’s first student midwifery conference.
Featuring keynote speakers from Australia, New Zealand and the UK, the Australian College of Midwives Queensland State Conference will be pushing for reform in the birthing sector and hearing how ground-breaking research is improving the health outcomes for mothers and babies though the continuity of care from midwives.
Speakers will include Griffith’s Professor Jenny Fenwick, Professor Jenny Steen from University of Chester, Karen Guilliland CEO of New Zealand College of Midwives and Dame Tina Lavender of University of Manchester.
“The conference committee has worked really hard to pull their international contacts together and make this something special,” said conference organiser Mary Sidebotham.
“It’s great for student midwives to be able to come together and share information, experiences and listen to some of the leaders in midwifery practice and research from around the world.
“For Griffith University it’s also exciting to provide a forum where so many of our students and researchers can profile the work they’re doing.”
The three day conference will feature topics including midwifery in remote locations, student perceptions of midwifery training, managing caseloads, Indigenous experiences of maternity care, nutrition and everything in between.
“As well as bringing cutting edge research from around the world, it also highlights some of the work being done at the Gold Coast Hospital through Professor Jenny Fenwick’s group,” said Ms Sidebotham.
“They are doing world leading research and our student need to understand that the best ideas aren’t just coming from interstate or abroad they are happening right here and they’re part of it.”
Australian College of Midwives Queensland State Conference will go till September 21.