Danika Stubbs is the associate unit manager of The Bays maternity unit.
Danika takes a baby through the unit to its mum.
Juggling the demands of a household of seven with her role as associate unit manager of The Bays Hospital maternity unit in Mornington means every day is different for Danika Stubbs. As someone who thrives on building meaningful connections with others, she considers her colleagues to be her second family, testament to the cohesiveness of The Bays maternity team.
In her position at The Bays, Danika coordinates staff rostering, organising shifts in the birth suite and post-natal ward, and managing midwives on duty. On any given day, she too will have patients to care for in either of those areas. Assistant unit managers also help with inducting and on-boarding staff, welcoming new midwives and mentoring them when they join the team.
Danika attributes her confidence at work to two key things: trust in her own competence, and trust in the competence of the midwives and obstetricians. After 10 years as a midwife – including assistant unit manager at the busy birth unit at Monash Medical Centre – Danika has amassed a wealth of experience and happily shares her knowledge with her midwives at The Bays.
A positive difference for patients at The Bays maternity unit is the continuity of care. As a private hospital with obstetricians and midwives in dedicated positions, the certainty of being familiar with staff is likewise an advantage to employees and is a defining characteristic of the ‘work family’ atmosphere.
When she reflects on the birth of her own first child, Danika wishes she had the same experience as patients at The Bays maternity unit. In her case, there was little communication and education about the birth process, leaving her feeling anxious, without reassurance and knowledge. It was due to this event that she felt compelled to pursue midwifery as a career.
Always mindful that for most women the birth experience is one of the most important events in their lives, Danika talks every mother through the process, letting them know what’s happening, empowering them to make informed decisions.
Living on the Peninsula, Danika occasionally bumps into her former patients. Mothers she cared for during birth will enthusiastically greet her and proudly show her how their babies have grown. It’s just another moment that reinforces Danika’s belief that being a midwife at The Bays is the best job in the world.
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