Rob Scheerer is challenging gender roles at Charleville Hospital.
Story by Sally Rigney
Soft-soled shoes squelch on the vinyl floor. Fluorescent overhead lighting flickers along the corridor. The smell of antiseptic is in the air.
Charleville Hospital, eight hours west of Brisbane, seems typical of most rural hospitals.
That’s until Rob Scheerer enters the room, dispelling the sterile atmosphere with a big smile and warm welcome. He is Queensland’s only endorsed eligible male midwife. Nationally, 129 female counterparts have an equally high qualification.
Midwifery is the provision of health care to women during their pregnancy, labour and birth and up to four weeks postpartum. There are 32,612 practising midwives in Australia, of which 519 are male.
This story excerpt is from Issue #108
Outback Magazine: Aug/Sep 2016
