Maternity Ward Bethanien Moers Broadens Services - Novelty Unveiled
Bethanien Hospital Moers, a leading healthcare institution in Germany, has implemented a new staffing approach known as the "duty midwife system" in the delivery room as of July 1st. This system is designed to address the nationwide shortage of midwives in Germany by optimising the allocation and availability of midwives during shifts.
The shortage of midwives in Germany and across Europe is a well-documented issue, with significant deficits in healthcare staffing causing anxiety among staff and risks to maternal care safety due to unmanageable workloads and insufficient support. The duty midwife system at Bethanien Hospital aims to mitigate these effects by better shift and workload management, supporting junior midwives, and ensuring safe birth practices and timely care without interruption.
This system involves a scheduled on-call or rotating midwife role, ensuring that at any given time, a qualified midwife is available to meet patient needs. By working in a three-shift system, there are always enough midwives present in the delivery room to take care of pregnant women.
The duty midwife system fits into a broader framework of healthcare institutions adopting innovative staffing models to cope with shortages and sustain quality care. Bethanien Hospital Moers also engages in strategies like integrating refugee healthcare professionals and facilitating recruitment from abroad.
The implementation of the duty midwife system benefits pregnant women, expectant parents, and families, providing them with more individual care. Families now have the opportunity to be accompanied by the freelance "midwives at Bethanien" during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period.
Appointments for the postpartum ambulatory care service can be made by registration at 02841/20020418, available Monday to Friday from 8 to 13 o'clock. Pregnant women can make appointments at the "midwives at Bethanien" pregnancy clinic for comprehensive advice and medical care. The phone number to schedule an appointment at the pregnancy clinic is 02841/2002670, available daily from 8 am to 2 pm.
The "Parents' School of Midwives at Bethanien" offers various courses for expectant mothers, babies, and parents, including childbirth preparation, parents' information evening, pregnancy gymnastics and pilates, acupuncture consultation, postpartum recovery course, baby massage, infant care course, playgroup, and more. Birth registrations are possible during the midwife's office hours.
As a large team of midwives, medical, and nursing staff, Bethanien Hospital Moers enables comprehensive care from a single source at the highest level. Further information and registration options for the "Parents' School of Midwives at Bethanien" can be found at www.hebammen-am-bethanien.de.
Dr. Ralf Engels, CEO of the Bethanien Foundation, stated that the cooperation between the "midwives at Bethanien" and Bethanien Hospital Moers addresses the wish and request of a part of their midwives to become self-employed. The duty midwife model is a reaction to the nationwide shortage of midwives, aiming to provide reliable coverage and reduce pressure on limited staff by structured duty scheduling and resource optimization within the hospital.
- The duty midwife system, adopted by Bethanien Hospital Moers, addresses the nationwide shortage of midwives in Germany and Europe, particularly in the field of women's health and family health, providing a more structured approach to workload management and ensuring sustainable quality care.
- The implementation of this system extends beyond the delivery room, with Bethanien Hospital Moers also offering various health-and-wellness services for mothers, babies, and parents, including mental health support through courses such as childbirth preparation, acupuncture consultation, and postpartum recovery.
- By addressing the nationwide shortage of midwives and offering comprehensive care from a single source, Bethanien Hospital Moers aims to support the mental-health and overall well-being of families, fostering a safe, supportive, and nurturing environment for parents and their newborns.
