I am chuckling to myself as I sit here writing this -very aware of the irony of trying to complete this paper by the end of the academic year while also living through one of the busiest times of the OP year -being loaded down with marking and all the other things which must be completed and at the same time trying to sustain and look after myself so I can accomplish all that I need to. I am living the experience of being sustainable -ha!
In 2004 Otago Polytechnic (OP) committed to becoming a sustainable organisation and a leader in the field of education for sustainability by weaving education for sustainability into each programme of study (OP Leadership Team, 2004). Sustainability thus became part of the 2008-2012 strategy and strategic goals (OP Leadership Team, 2008a) as well as one of the priorities to enable achievement of the strategic goals (OP Leadership Team, 2008b). The OP sustainability vision was that
Our graduates, our practitioners and our academics understand the concepts of social, environmental and economic sustainability in order for them to evaluate, question and discuss their role in the world and to enable them to make changes where and when appropriate. Our goal is that every graduate may think and act as a “sustainable practitioner”. (OP Leadership Team, 2004, p.1).
The essence of the profession of Midwifery is midwives working in partnership with women promoting normal physiological birth (Guilliland & Pairman, 1995). Normal birth with minimal intervention is an underlying philosophy of midwifery practice (NZCOM, 2008) and is also sustainable practice, promoting low resource use and discouraging unnecessary intervention (OP School of Midwifery, 2008). Sustainability is integrated into the three years of the Bachelor of Midwifery degree. Firstly, as a blended course delivered in a flexible manner, students are able to stay in their own communities using local maternity facilities and local midwives for the majority of their practical requirements while studying the theoretical requirements in and close to home. By delivering a programme developed in collaboration with colleagues at CPIT, resources are shared which aids the sustainability of the School of Midwifery staff (OP School of Midwifery, 2008). In Year One students undertake a foundation sustainability paper which introduces students to the principles of sustainability, encourages reflection on personal sustainability as a midwifery student and explores the contribution that midwifery can make to sustainability (OP School of Midwifery, 2008; OP School of Midwifery, 2011). Sustainability is integrated into the learning objectives of each of the Year Two courses and in Year Three sustainability within the midwifery profession is the focus of a specific Sustainable Midwifery Practice paper, looking at running a small business, sustaining self in practice looking at work/life balance and sustainable practices in midwifery practice (OP School of Midwifery, 2008).
Other practices encouraged within the School of Midwifery to support sustainabiity include marking online, not printing off course outlines or other resources unless necessary, use of IT technology such as Adobe Connect for staff meetings or Teleconferencing where possible to save travel. Sustainable midwifery practice is something I can both discuss with the students and role model (not always that well if I have been up overnight at a birth!). Interestingly I have recently been asked to be a participant in a research study exploring sustainable midwifery practice from a community based caseloading midwife’s perspective. Ensuring students have the necessary skills and strategies to enable them to be still practising as midwives in 25 years time is essential. Not only do the students invest a lot of time and money in gaining their BM degree, but ensuring we have competent and confident midwives who providing supportive care to women is essential if midwifery as a profession is to sustain itself.
References
Guilliland, K., & Pairman, S. (1995). The midwifery partnership :A model for practice. Wellington, NZ; Department of Nursing & Midwifery, VUW.
New Zealand College of Midwives (2008). Midwives handbook for practice. Christchurch, NZ: NZCOM
Otago Polytechnic Leadership Team. (2004). Education for sustainability at Otago Polytechnic. Retrieved from http://www.otagopolytechnic.ac.nz/about/sustainable-practice/education-for-sustainability.html
Otago Polytechnic Leadership Team. (2008a). Strategy 2008-2012. Retrieved from http://www.otagopolytechnic.ac.nz/fileadmin/Corporate/PDFs/Strategy_2008-2012.pdf
Otago Polytechnic Leadership Team (2008b). Out priorities. Retrieved from http://www.otagopolytechnic.ac.nz/about/corporate-information/our-priorities.html
Otago Polytechnic School of Midwifery (2008). School of Midwifery. Retrieved from http://www.otagopolytechnic.ac.nz/about/sustainable-practice/education-for-sustainability.html
Otago Polytechnic School of Midwifery. (2011). Midwifery Permanent External Advisory Committee (PEAC) Report -November. Dunedin, New Zealand: Author
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