St Lukes General Hospital, Kilkenny

Kilkenny is a small city with a lively night life and very active arts scene. It has rail and bus links to Dublin and Waterford and bus links to other major cities. It is a medieval city with many noted historic sites of interest.

The hospital has an active social club and many sports have hospital teams. The midwifery team are supported by a Project Officer for Practice Development in Midwifery who is located in the Nursing and Midwifery Planning and Development Unit. We are currently well advanced in the planning process to accept student midwives in to the clinical area in the coming year.

Profile of Maternity Department

Current beds

4 Delivery rooms
9 Antenatal beds
22 Postnatal beds
5 Neonatal cots

Staffing establishment:

Midwives = 35.50wte
Neonatal staff = 6.87wte
Health care assistants = 2wte
Midwife staff ratio: Antenatal ward = 1:9 Delivery Suite = 1:1 Postnatal ward = 1:7

Activity 2005:

Deliveries 1521 includes 16 sets twins
Normal vaginal deliveries = 51%
Caesarean section rate = 32%
Vacuum = 14%
Forceps = 0.6%
Breastfeeding rate = 43%

Services:

Antenatal
Obstetric ultrasound department run by Clinical Midwife Specialist in Ultrasound
Labour
Postnatal
Initiative Certificate of Commitment
Breast feeding on demand
Breastfeeding support group
Lactation consultant midwife

Education

18hr Breastfeeding course
S.T.A.B.L.E. course
Neonatal recusitation course
Fetal monitoring course
Perineal suturing update
IV cannulation course
Record keeping update
Obstetric drills up date
Preceptorship course

Working Patterns

Working hours = 39hrs per week
Shift times 11 hour shift – 08.00hrs- 2030hrs
6 hour shift – 08.00hrs – 14.30hrs
Night shift – 20.30hrs – 08.00hrs
Average number of weekends worked per month = 2

Accommodation

Type Private rental agreement, many locations near to hospital.
Cost 800-900euros per month for 4 bed roomed house

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