Position Summary
About the Opportunity
The Registered Midwife position provides culturally safe, trauma-informed midwifery services. These services are intended to increase access to health care closer to home while honouring First Nations voices in health service delivery.
Title: Registered Midwife
Contract: Service Contract
Location: This position serves Midwifery clinics on Northern Vancouver Island in Port Hardy, Port McNeill, the Kwakwaka’wakw Outreach Program, and in community.
Compensation: The current service contract compensation is $146,580 (based on a minimum 1680hours/ fiscal year @ 1 April 2024 rate of $87.25/hour.
- This position is eligible to receive Overhead funding for operational costs as per the midwifery agreement.
- Subject to availability and eligibility, Registered Midwives may be able to access rural benefits through the Midwives Association of British Columbia (MABC).
About You
- You are passionate about supporting First Nations families on their health and wellness journeys;
- You have full licensure (Registrant Category) with the College of Midwives of BC;
- You are eligible for privileges at local hospitals (Port McNeill and Port Hardy Hospitals);
- You have additional certifications and training as per BCCNM general requirements;
- You have training in Cultural Safety & Humility or are willing to take this training within 6 months (San’yas Indigenous Cultural Safety Training);
- Ideally you have experience working with First Nations providing culturally safe care; and
- Current valid driving license and willingness to travel.
Principal Duties And Responsibilities
The First Nations health Authority has 1 contract position availble for a midwife on north Vancouver Island to join two other midwives. The position also includes funded-clinic space, part time MOA and some funding for local work-related travel.
The Midwife will provide comprehensive prenatal, intrapartum and postpartum care to the local First Nations communities and the north island region. The midwife will also ensure that these clinical services are provided in a culturally safe and appropriate way.
The components of this role include provision of clinical midwifery care and non-clinical work including collaborating with the Kwakwaka’wakw Maternal Child and Family Health Program as well as offering education to acute care nurses, other health care providers and doulas. These roles also involve community-based education to support families and outreach to local First Nations communities.
The successful midwife will collaborate with other midwives and practitioners to meet the care needs of mother and baby, whether the birth is planned to take place locally on the north island or requires a higher level of care at another site on Vancouver Island. Call coverage will be shared, with at least one midwife on call at any given time.
This unique midwifery opportunity provides clinical care, leadership activities and educational support to other health care providers. The position will be especially appealing to midwives seeking diversity in their work, and who have keen interest in serving a predominantly First Nations population.
Shift/Hours of Work
Full time. On call availability and after-hours coverage is required.
About This Initiative
The First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) works closely with First Nations communities and the Vancouver Island Health Authority (VIHA) to improve access to midwife services for First Nations people in a way that is culturally safe and closer to home.
Located on the northeastern coast of Vancouver Island, the communities of Port McNeill and Port Hardy offer year-round recreational activities in a natural wilderness with large expanses of undeveloped coastline.
The combined population of the communities is approximately 6,800 residents. With regularly scheduled daily flights from Port Hardy, Vancouver is less than an hour away. Combining this with a good highway, you can live and work close to nature, while enjoying ease of access to larger centres.
For additional information, visit: https://www.porthardy.ca and https://portmcneill.ca
Why work with us?
We have a common foundation at FNHA through our vision and Seven Directives to guide us in our daily work. It is what makes us unique!
You will be a part of a transformative change in First Nations health and wellness;
We work together, not apart, with our beautiful and culturally rich First Nations communities in British Columbia.
How To Apply
This recruitment is a collaboration between FNHA and Island Health; the contract for this position is held with FNHA, while the privileging is provided by Island Health.
Please ensure you have submitted your CV and cover letter to both health authorities via the contacts below:
FNHA: Paul Coppard, Talent Acquisition Partner, Medical Affairs and Wellness Office (MAWO)
First Nations Health Authority
Email: Medical.Affairs@fnha.ca
Interior Health: Celina Callaghan, Medical Staff Recruiter
Vancouver Island Health Authority
Email: medstaffrecruitment@islandhealth.ca
The First Nations Health Authority is committed to respecting diversity within our workforce; preference will be given to individuals who identify as First Nations, Inuit, or Métis.
Anticipated Hire Date: March 2025
For more information about us, please visit: www.fnha.ca/about/work-with-us
For information about Cultural Safety and Humility (fnha.ca) and for information about Land Acknowledgements
If you have any inquiries or issues please contact Medical Affairs at medical.affairs@fnha.ca
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