title: Rethinking midwifery refresher programs as a recruitment strategy.
abstract: This paper presents a case study on an innovative Midwifery Refresher Program in the context of current midwifery workforce issues. The refresher program was developed specifically as a recruitment strategy to address a staffing crisis at the Mater Misericordiae Mothers' Hospital, a busy tertiary maternity hospital in Brisbane, Australia. Features of the program that contributed to its success include collaboration with an industry partner, high levels of clinical support for participants, flexibility for women with family responsibilities and low financial costs for all stakeholders. This type of recruitment strategy may be useful for health care services experiencing staff shortages.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing (Queensland), Australian Catholic University.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Flowers
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carter
mesh_terms: D002410:Catholicism; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D004518:Education, Professional, Retraining; D005260:Female; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006771:Hospitals, Maternity; D006801:Humans; D007373:Interinstitutional Relations; D008880:Midwifery / Q000193:education*; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000193:education / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D019982:Organizational Case Studies; D010560:Personnel Selection / Q000379:methods*; D011793:Queensland; D014495:Universities; D000078329:Workforce