Women Central Care

Woman - centred care is the overarching framework for the National Competency Standards for the Midwife (2006). Woman-centred care is a concept that implies that midwifery care: * is focused on the woman's individual, unique needs, expectations and aspirations, rather than the needs of institutions or professions * recognises the woman's right to self determination in terms of choice, control, and continuity of care * encompasses the needs of the baby, the woman's family, significant others and community, as identified and negotiated by the woman herself * follows the woman between institutions and the community, through all phases of pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period * is 'holistic'- addresses the woman's social emotional, physical, psychological, spiritual and cultural needs and expectations
ANMC, 2006

As the woman is the centre of midwifery care this section will focus on the woman and where women fit in to Australian society. We will also explore working with different groups of women, in particular Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women.

WOMEN IN AUSTRALIAN SOCIETY
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There is a huge spectrum of considerations that we could address in looking at women in Australian society – too much for one week of study – so the intention has been to provide varying aspects for you to think about while recognising that understanding about the place of all women in Australia will require your continuing attention as a midwife, if you are to be woman centred in your practice.
Getting started

Let’s start by looking at you as women. As midwives we regard all women as special – sometimes their lives may not seem to show this but they are all unique human beings and it should be part of our privilege in working with them to help them find the ‘specialness of themselves’ to enable them to know that they can be important in their critical roles as mothers