Professional practice development

This month we were sorry to farewell Professor Sally Pairman from Otago Polytechnic. Sally's research, her huge talent and much hard work, enabled her to implement evidence-based initiatives that have been critical to the development of the midwifery profession.

Karen Guilliland, Chief Executive of the New Zealand College of Midwives, paid tribute to Sally as she moves on to another stage in her career. She says midwifery education owes Sally an enormous debt of gratitude - Sally has revolutionised midwifery education and Karen cannot think of anyone else, in New Zealand or overseas, who has contributed so much to so many.

It was Sally who led the development of the first Bachelor's degree in Midwifery in New Zealand, in 1992, and subsequently the first Master's degree, both at Otago Polytechnic. She wrote the original educational framework for the New Zealand College of Midwives, still being used with minor updates. Sally has been part of a team working for pay equity for midwives, in 1993 and again in 2016.

She was instrumental in development of the Lead Maternity Carer framework in 1996. She helped set up the Midwifery Council and was its first Chair from 2003 until 2010. It was during this period that she did her Doctorate, on the professionalisation of midwives in New Zealand. She lobbied the government successfully in 2007 for funding for the new Midwifery Council standards and to extend the degree programme. Sally is the only full Professor in midwifery in New Zealand. 

Her impact has not been confined to New Zealand. Sally has presented at dozens of international conferences of midwives and midwifery educators. She has chaired the Regulation Standing Committee of the International Confederation of Midwives, and was a member of the Taskforce which developed the Global Standards for Midwifery Regulation . Sally co-wrote a book called 'Women’s Business: The Story of the New Zealand College of Midwives from 1986 – 2010' and is the only New Zealand editor on an Australasian midwifery textbook, 'Midwifery: Preparation for Practice', now in development for the 4th edition and a required text in three countries.

Sally says “What midwives do impacts on society. We do our best to keep birth normal and healthy, to make sure that women have a good experience. The flow-on effects are that women are more confident, they bond better with their babies. You’ve got an incredible opportunity of nine months to work with women, educate them, build their confidence, put them in touch with services, support them, advocate for them and help them with new mothering. We have a real principle of working in partnership with women. It’s empowering for them, and it is also empowering for midwives and that empowerment flows through into other parts of all our lives."