In 2023, Fridae successfully applied for the Research Ready Grant Project (RRGP) as the Principal Investigator in a team of four researching retention issues in the maternity and neonatal workforce. These issues are driven by culture and staffing issues, Covid 19 and Gladstone Hospital’s ‘birthing bypass’, which meant there could be no birthing for pregnant women at the hospital's maternity unit due to a lack of obstetric doctors.
Fridae believes high-quality midwifery and neonatal services are essential in the delivery of safe, compassionate care. Her team’s research will contribute to understanding barriers and enablers to retention of midwives and nurses, and the results will give those in Central Queensland an opportunity to positively influence care in regional and rural areas.
During Gladstone Hospital’s birthing bypass, Fridae organised meetings with her QNMU Organiser and members. Through collectivism, determination and professionalism the team won their birthing services back in 339 days. Since then, Fridae has stepped up her activism. In 2023 she presented five successful motions at Annual Conference and was voted on the QNMU Policy Committee for 2023/24. She attended QNMU Executive Leadership Program this year and, afterwards, attend a meeting with the Health Minister to discuss retention and recruitment strategies for Gladstone Hospital.
“I mostly care for vulnerable women in the Midwifery Group Practice. I’m known in our unit for working with women experiencing domestic violence or homelessness and teenagers, drugs and alcohol use and high-risk pregnancies. By us providing continuity of care and building trust with the women, they make positive choices in their pregnancies. Women are accessing maternity services, are more compliant with appointments and have better birthing and postnatal outcomes. You can really see how having their own midwife who they felt safe with can make such a difference. Every woman, regardless of risk factors or their situation, deserves continuity of care. It’s these women that I hold so deep in my heart and who keep me going.”