Midwifery pilot allows regional nurses to realise career dreams

After 14 years in nursing, Eleanor Jones has realised her long-held dream of becoming a Midwife -thanks to an innovative WA Country Health Service pilot program that’s transforming the career trajectory of nurses across regional Western Australia.

Launched in February 2023, the Paid Student Midwifery Model Pilot enables registered nurses to train as midwives while remaining in their existing workplace.

The program has already seen over 30 nurses complete their studies and step into qualified midwifery roles, with a further 31 expected to graduate between December 2025 and July 2026.

A testament to WACHS’s commitment to strengthening the regional workforce from within, the program boasts an impressive 88 per cent retention rate.

Ahead of International Day of the Midwife on 5 May, Eleanor, who began her midwifery role at Esperance Health Campus in February, said the program provided a rare opportunity to upskill without uprooting her family or leaving the community she had come to love.

“I had always aspired to become a Midwife, with the plan to apply in England following my nursing training—however, life got in the way,” Eleanor said.

“So when the opportunity with WACHS came along, I was thrilled.”

Originally from the UK, Eleanor moved to WA in 2017 and worked at Peel Health Campus before transferring to Esperance in 2020. Over the past five years, she has held various emergency department roles, including Acting Clinical Nurse and After Hours Nurse Manager.

The 18-month midwifery program allowed her to continue working while studying, thanks to flexible working arrangements, fully funded course fees, access to clinical facilitators, and travel support for metropolitan study blocks.

“It was a whirlwind—being on-call for births, attending skills weeks in Perth, completing online lectures, assignments and exams—all while raising two young children,” she said.

A standout aspect of her training was the continuity of care component, which allowed her to support women through their entire perinatal journey.

“This model is considered the gold standard in midwifery and something I’m now passionate about using to improve maternal and neonatal outcomes,” she said.

“Already, I’m seeing women return for their next pregnancy—and now, I’m able to support them as a Registered Midwife.”

Eleanor credited her success to the support of her local team in Esperance and said the experience reaffirmed her love for both the profession and the town.

“We originally planned to stay for three months—but five years later, we’re still here. We’ve built a life in Esperance. It has a strong sense of community, beautiful scenery, and an incredible work-life balance,” she said.

Now working toward water birth accreditation, Eleanor is focused on providing holistic care and empowering women throughout their birth experience.

“I thrive on helping women make informed choices and supporting them to trust in their own strength and ability to birth their baby,” she said.

The Paid Student Midwifery Model Pilot continues to go from strength to strength, with the next intake of aspiring midwives set to begin their studies in the coming months.