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25
Inspection of Midwives.
Inspections by the Inspector of Midwives.
Dr. G. H. Stinson, Assistant Medical Officer of
Health, who is the Inspector of Midwives under the
Midwives Acts, reports for 1933 as follows:—
In carrying out the inspections of midwives one
cannot help feeling that one or two midwives tend to look
upon the Inspector as a detective rather than as a friend.
This makes the inspection sometimes an unpleasant duty
instead of a pleasant one.
I would like to remind the midwives that these
inspections are meant to be a help and safeguard to
themselves. It is an opportunity to see that the rules of
the Central Midwives Board are correctly and satisfactorily
kept, and that in the event of unforeseen occurrences the
midwife is in the happy position of having recorded all
details of the case thereby showing her knowledge of the
importance of detail and leaving no room for criticism.
In the near future I hope it may be compulsory that
all midwives shall be fully trained nurses besides holding
the Certificate of the Central Midwives Board. I think
sometimes the non-general trained midwife tends to
undertake too much; she does not always seek advice as
soon as she might do, and this is where I think the fully
trained nurse shows more foresight. The latter I think
seeks advice on cases more often than the former, or
perhaps it is that she is more able to differentiate earlier
between cases needing medical advice and those which
do not. It is well to remember that the more one knows
the more one realises how comparatively little one knows.
We have very good midwives in Bromley. Their's
is good work well done. The ante-natal notes in one or
two cases might be a little more detailed and accurate,
and the post-natal and discharge notes should give more
details. Negative notes or no notes at all, may mean to
the midwife herself that everything is all right, but who
shall not say that a midwife has forgotten one or two
things. It is better to state in black and white all
particulars to show that all details have been noted.