PURPOSE:
The South Australia (SA) Health Capability Set for Rural Midwives is a tool developed to identify the learning needs of midwives transitioning from metropolitan to regional, rural or remote areas, and aims to support a smooth transition to the new work and practice environment.

DISCUSSION:
The regional health networks in South Australia collectively span 983,482 square kilometres, and provide services to approximately thirty percent of the state’s population. Like many other rural/remote areas in Australia, maternity services throughout regional South Australia are experiencing significant workforce challenges, resulting in reduced services. Midwives working in rural or remote settings may be required to use different skills to their metropolitan counterparts, and for those transitioning to rural/remote settings the breadth of required knowledge can be confronting. The SA Health Capability Sets for Rural Midwives were developed to ensure midwives understand the unique skills required to work in a rural/remote setting prior to commencing. In 2020, the South Australian Government’s Nursing and Midwifery Office developed a document identifying midwifery skills specific to rural/remote settings which include confidence ratings to enable midwives to self-determine their level of proficiency with each skill. Using the Capability Sets as a tool to assess learning needs, midwives and their managers can identify areas where additional support may be required to develop individual skills and confidence levels. The Capability Sets were reviewed in 2024 and aligned to current practice and best evidence, and to ensure skills listed remained relevant.

KEY MESSAGE:
This tool will continue to be used to support midwives working in rural/remote areas into the future, with plans for regular reviews to ensure it remains contemporary. This approach aims to provide a nurturing and supportive pathway for midwives to undertake the challenging yet rewarding practice of providing midwifery care to women, babies and families of regional, rural and remote South Australia. Poster session 4 (Group B)