Help a midwife find a way out? Has anyone succeeded?

[Itsanofromme1]

I’m a midwife. I loathe my job because -

The amount of paperwork (which no longer involves paper, but instead numerous passwords and computer glitches)

Out of touch and uncaring management. There’s no recognition of good work. The same people get applauded and promoted.

The long shifts are killing my health and making me a tired and miserable mum.

I do enjoy being with the women, caring for people, delivering babies etc. It’s just the above things that are meaning it doesn’t work for me anymore. I make approx 40k FT (but work PT). I can’t afford to take a big pay cut by moving to community hours.

Has anyone left and if so, what did you do? Is anyone considering leaving and have an idea?

Doula or private nurse, I don't think it would be any different if you moved to a private hospital.

NICU is a place you could work, loads of midwives and adult and paediatric nurses working on the one my DC was admitted to after his birth. Seems to bring lots of varied skills to the unit depending on background.

@User48751490
I used to be a midwife and a community mdwife and ended up leaving after a prolonged episode of burn out, so I completely understand where you are coming from.
I now work as a research midwife at a university and absolutely love it. I still get contact with the women and babies, but in a more peripheral way, whilst still improving outcomes for them by being part of research. It also all counts towards revalidation.
Is this something you can look into?
My work/ life balance is so much better and I am genuinely happy in my role.

Teaching and research. If you find the right place to work it can be very rewarding. Generally you get less hassle because you will be one of the most experienced people there.

If you are considering private midwifery you need to look very carefully into professional insurance. I am not sure what the position is now, but some years ago it was impossible for private midwives to get insurance and the whole service provision was decimated.

Agree with previous poster, work in research! I'm a research nurse, it's much less stressful than working on the wards! Most roles are band 6 and no unsocial hours so there would be a pay cut - but it's worth it. I no longer spend my days off panicking about the week ahead!

Sexual health?

My aesthetics practitioner is an ex midwife. She's absolutely lovely, really good at her job, works part time hours and is doing very well, way beyond 40k...

Infant feeding specialist? ….we have 3 in our community trust….all band 7 …2 were previously midwife’s…. 9 to 5 job…. Couple of clinics a week….some training…..some collaborative working with unicef….supporting some clinical trials.

I am on the staff bank but work clinically only to keep my registration these days which I do need for my role. To tell you what I do now would be pretty outing but there is a whole world of work out there with opportunities that you have probably never even heard of. My friend runs this website which might help, my career took a similar turn to hers although we don’t work in the same area now www.creativenursecareers.co.uk

Good luck. Clinical work can be soul destroying.

I don’t have any advice OP but it’s sad (although not surprising) to read your post. So many good people looking for an out due to poor management and a broken system.

All I can say is I think about my MW often, genuinely. Birthing is a very unique experience and for personal as well as medical reasons mine was memorable. She’s was just so nice! I trusted her implicitly within an hour of meeting this lady. I remember her name, what she looked like, things she said, how I felt, layout and very specific things in the room, so much detail - it’s someone I’ve never met since but is so memorable to me. I’m sure I’m not alone in that and you will be one of those people although imagine it feels different being ‘the other end’!

You do a special job looking after us and just sorry it’s so tough for you. Hope you find what you’re looking for.

Move into policy or commissioning? Like NHSEIs National Maternity Programme Team or your local ICS maternity commissioner, or maternity/woman's health/CYP commissioning support roles. 9-5 jobs, desk based.

I moved into midwifery lecturing. It has its stresses (like any job) but it's nothing like working in the NHS. I have a level of autonomy and flexibility I could never have dreamed of as a clinical mw.

I did have to take a pay cut but the rewards in terms of work-life balance made it worthwhile.

Other friends have moved into fetal medicine, research, health visiting, private antenatal care, tongue-tie practitioner, lactation consultant. Virtually no one I trained with 16 years ago is still working on the wards.

My only regret is not keeping up my clinical skills though - I should have done more bank work. It's good to maintain clinical currency if you can.

what's worrying here is how so many people no longer want to do clinical work.
When all the people with knowledge and experience and insight into the horror of day to day working life are seeking escape routes what dies that leave?
i'm sorry to say but it leaves those who are either truly dedicated and i take my hat off to them OR it leaves those who don't give a damn.
unfortunately those people are part of the problem and unless we are given the tools to get rid of those people ( which we do not have unless you are able to dedicate hours and hours of time to prove their incompetence attitude problem etc).
again referring to the OP if I had my time again i'd go into a specialist field such as Occupational Health and work in industry or work fir a drug company or cut your losses and retrain.
There are some fabulous people in the NHS but there are also some horrors which impact on most importantly patients but also colleagues.
as the people like Op scramble to leave what's left behind?

I find it intriguing that by moving up the ranks and getting paid more you anticipate having less stress ! I'm a lowly band 5, RN rather than midwife. Lots of experience, band 6 for 5 years but a serious illness in the family forced me to drop a grade. Our band 7s have a great work life experience, duties mainly managerial nowadays. Certainly not rushing round like us juniors, trying to give decent care and forever worried about losing our pins.

Have a Google for digital health vacancies or if you want to PM I can give you some info (I work in this area)

My friend moved into pharma sales, she loves it. Stressful but due to her experience in stress where lives were at stake it doesn't impact on her. She has been offered training to help transition to managerial role so they are investing in her.

and here we see another issue where we do not work together and do not understand each other's roles and responsibilities .
what ever band you are ( and we LOVE to identify one another by bands !)'we are all doing our job ( or should be!)'
I've heard this all my working life and as I have never really worked outside the Nhs i'm not sure if this resentment of those in more senior positions is a universal experience in banking or retail or any other share of work or it is just health care?

I guess my feeling are coloured by my own experience/reality which isn't necessarily universal. Appreciate a managerial role is multi dimensional and not without stress but working conditions are certainly better. The ability to have a drink mid shift being one !

Came across your old post and wondered if you did ever find a way out with similar pay?! I’m 17 years working nights as a midwife and I’m about at the end of my tether….