Women’s and Children’s Health Network - Transition to Professional Practice Program for Midwives
About the Women’s and Children’s Health Network
The Women's and Children's Hospital (WCH)/Ngankiku Ngartuku Kukuwardli is South Australia's largest specialist facility for women's and children's health.
We are the leading provider of care for children with acute and chronic conditions in South Australia, and the state's largest maternity and obstetric service. We also provide important community-based services.
The WCH cares for women and children, across the areas of paediatric medicine, surgery, obstetrics and gynaecology, neonatology, mental health and disability, rehabilitation, and allied health, seeing more than 230,000 outpatients and 33,000 inpatients annually.
Each year we have more than 46,000 children present at our Paediatric Emergency Department, and almost 5,000 babies are born at the hospital.
We are highly regarded as a centre for research and as one of the state's major teaching hospitals, we work with all three South Australian universities in the training of hundreds of health professionals each year.
The hospital forms part of the Women's and Children's Health Network (WCHN)/Ngangitya, ngartu-itya kangkawardli, the largest paediatric and maternity health service in South Australia, which also reaches into parts of the Northern Territory, western Victoria and New South Wales.
Find out more about the Women’s and Children’s Health Network.
Program information
Supernumerary days and orientation
The Women’s and Babies division supports clinical theoretical orientations for each rotation. You will be supported with one orientation, one supernumerary shift with a nominated preceptor and one buddy shift with indirect supervision from educator/preceptors at the commencement of each new rotation.
Education and program structure/details (face to face and online learning)
Midwifery TPPP graduates will be provided six professional development study days as part of their 12-month program in 2025. Study days incorporate engaging and interactive skills, practical application and theoretical evidence-based education to support professional development opportunities.
Full-time/part-time opportunities
The WCHN TPPP offers midwives a 12-month temporary contract of 0.84 full time equivalent (FTE) – equivalent to 4 days per week on a 7-day rotating roster. 0.84FTE is strongly encouraged to support consolidation of knowledge and skills as you transition to practice. Negotiations may be considered in consultation with Midwifery Unit Managers about FTE that supports your individual graduate learning journey.
Clinical mentoring support and supervision
The Women’s and Babies division offers a robust program underpinned with preceptorship. The WCHN is a tertiary teaching hospital that is committed to the ongoing development of our nursing and midwifery workforce to ensure we meet our commitment of our 2026 Realising Potential Strategy (PDF 1711KB), to have a capable and confident workforce. The WCHN offer a number of ongoing learning and development opportunities to preceptors and mentors in areas of leadership, clinical coaching, and mentorship to ensure our nurses and midwives are equipped to support graduates and early career staff.
Scheduled annual leave program
TPPP midwives will be provided six weeks of annual leave when working across a 7-day roster. Two weeks will be allocated throughout the duration of the program, and four weeks allocated at the end of the TPPP year. Leave is pre-allocated into the rotational grid, with negotiations to navigate changes to leave under exceptional circumstances granted.
Key benefits
During your TPPP you will be supported to:
- understand and function confidently and competently within the role as midwife
- develop and consolidate a wide range of clinical midwifery skills
- work in partnership with women and their families to plan care, in conjunction with other health professionals
- critically analyse and reflect on your developing practice
- actively engage in continuing development opportunities
- develop a network of collegial support.
WCHN Transition Support Pathways recognises
To achieve this, the WCHN Transition Support Pathways recognise:
- Stages of Transition/ Transition Shock© Model by Dr. Judy Duscher
- learning activities which incorporate critical thinking, best evidence-based practice, reflection, and simulation
- individual learning styles, personality types and character strengths
WCHN Transition Support Pathways provides
THE WCHN Transition Support Program will provide:
- comprehensive onboarding and orientation to the WCHN organisation
- clinical ward support from dedicated educators that promotes bedside teaching
- regular clinical feedback (each placement) and performance conversations
- online and face to face Transition to Midwifery Practice modules
- weekly reflection and debrief opportunities with transition educators
- regular transition support correspondence, TPPP and Early Career resource SharePoint and Transition Newsletters
- simulated learning activities
- 1:1 transition support coaching
- self-care program
- career pathway planning
- workshops.
How we support you
During your TPPP you will be supported by:
- Transition Support Educators
- nurse/midwifery mangers and nursing/midwifery unit managers
- ward/civisional clinical nurse/midwife educators
- clinical coach mentors
- pereceptors/ peer support buddies
- ward colleagues.
Site locations and specialty rotations
TPPP midwife placements are offered across all our clinical areas in the Women’s and Babies Division, and from 2023 we have proudly supported TPPP’s working in Midwifery Group Practice (MGP) continuity of care models.
TPPP midwives will rotate to four maternity areas as part of their 12-month program. Postnatal Service and Delivery Suite are two mandatory three month rotations. Applicants can nominate their preferred two maternity areas of interest in the application process. Options include:
- Women’s Outpatient Department
- Women’s Assessment Service
- Antenatal Gynaecological Ward
- Neonatal Services – Special Care
- Midwifery Group Practice, please note MGP is a 6-month rotation, and the remainder of the program will consist of the two mandatory three month rotations in Postnatal Service and Delivery Suite.
Intake dates
- February 2025
- March 2025
Further information
For further information about undertaking a TPPP at the WCHN please contact the Educator – Transition TPPP Coordinator by emailing Health.CYWHSEducationCentre@sa.gov.au, or calling 0481 477 831, (08) 8161 8101, or (08) 8161 7980.