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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

to think that as an experienced midwife I should earn more than a window cleaner?

328 replies

whatinthewhatnow · 13/08/2012 16:57

My mum's window cleaner charges £18 for an hour's work. I get £17. Does society really value window cleaners more than midwives?

In no way showing off, and this rarely happens, but I did dramatically save a teeny life on wednesday. It was really fricking scary. I work so hard, my women seem to really like me and I really do try so hard for them. I feel totally undervalued and stressed and I'm beginning to wonder if it's worth it, for £17 a bloody hour. FFS. .

OP posts:
Jenniferturkington · 14/08/2012 19:25

I do agree that skilled workers should earn more than unskilled workers. But I do think that you overlooked many factors meaning that the window cleaner doesn't actually earn anywhere near as much as you despite his hourly charge rate being high.

Agree whole heartedly with the poster who singled out tube drivers as having a salary which seems disproportionately high. Even taking in to account the suicides- after all nurses and midwives are also exposed to very distressing scenarios too.

Moominsarescary · 14/08/2012 19:26

tree glass vials have always been a problem with me, as a student I shattered one and cut my finger. I've been weary of the bloody things ever since.

EmptyCrispPackets · 14/08/2012 19:28

I could tell you some shockers, as could the other midwives on this thread about SHOs, and in fact I've had a student midwife working with me who actually saved a baby, and saw signs of something really wrong after a SHO had been with it for a while.

I won't divulge further.

I understand and respect other posters opinions, and don't mind being challenged on mine, however I take great offence to shecot and her/his arrogant comments.

Here have a Biscuit

treedelivery · 14/08/2012 19:28

Do lots of tube drivers commit.suicide? God that's really sad. Surely trains.can never be worth that stress!

For me, anyone working in central London should get huge pay. I seem to bleed money when there I pity anyone trying ti make ends meet there.

EmptyCrispPackets · 14/08/2012 19:29

Also wondering what Benedict said to be deleted Hmm

Please PM me Smile

toomuch2young · 14/08/2012 19:30

Glass vials - flick top hard. Hold top under tunic top and quick snap at neck Grin

BenedictsCumberbitch · 14/08/2012 19:34

I can never remember if you snap into the dot or away from it.

Moominsarescary · 14/08/2012 19:37

Lol at tree I trained as a mh nurse, were probably far more likely to come across someone who has commuted suicide. Even if you've done everything you could or should do it doesn't stop you feeling responsible when a patient takes there own life.

Moominsarescary · 14/08/2012 19:38

Commuted! Committed bloody hell

VivaLeBeaver · 14/08/2012 19:41

Away.

Yes, previous sections are in the notes. God knows why the dr didn't see it.

I didn't see it as I have women arriving on the ward in 15 minute intervals for induction and the induction midwife looks after all of them. So 15 mins to say hello, orientate to ward, get them to the loo for a wee sample, bp, pulse, temp, palpation. Explain induction process, answer questions and put on monitor and document all of above and check gel is prescribed. Only 15 mins as in 15 mins time woman no 2 is coming, 15 minutes after her woman no 3 is coming, etc, etc.

At some point, normally while woman no 3 or 4 is arriving I have to go back to woman no 1 and examine her and put gel in, restart monitor and document all findings.

So not much time for reading through notes.

EnglishGirlApproximately · 14/08/2012 19:44

shecot I am one of many posters on this thread who said yabu to the OP. This was due to her assumption that the rate he charged was his actual hourly rate.

You have said that most mnetters agre with you that hcps are overpaid and entitled. I think you need to reread the thread. Most (not all,granted) posters have no problem with the idea of midwives being well paid, just a problem with the op's opinion that someone else shouldn't be.

The midwives and trainees who looked after me during my horrible 6 day labour were amazing, they deserved every single penny.

Moominsarescary · 14/08/2012 20:15

I think it's rare that a window cleaner gets £18 an hour, the same with a mw

WillNeverGetALicence · 14/08/2012 20:18

I am astonished that there are people who think nurses/midwives just read a Dr prescription and follow it blindly with no understanding of the drug or it's actions...

No wonder some people think nurses/midwives aren't that bright. They must imagine that the training is all advanced bed making and observation of bed pan contents.

Personally I am still waiting to hear what Shecot does for a living...Smile

Moominsarescary · 14/08/2012 20:42

Yes will takes years to perfect those hospital corners don't you know.

If shecot is a women I'd like to know if shed be happy with the window cleaner delivering the baby if midwifery is such an unskilled easy job.

I think people are just unaware of what a mw does, I remember a thread where people were asking if maternity units should have more nurses rather than mw Hmm especially to look after those who had surgery.

People just didn't seem to understand that a nurse isn't more qualified than a mw and wouldn't be able to do the job.

Jackin · 14/08/2012 21:31

Wow, just finished reading this thread. I'm self employed and earn more than that, on some days. On others I earn less. My job is a skilled job but I don't have a degree. Where do I fit in, in all this?
Oh and shecot you're full of it. And seem to be enjoying winding people up for the hell of it. what do you do for a living?

Kabooooom · 14/08/2012 21:32

I have been wanting to do an Access course to get into Midwifery for quite a few years, but circumstances has meant I haven't yet gotten around to doing it.

I would love to hear from those who are Midwives about their general thoughts on the job, other than just how hard it is which has already been explained (and believe me, I KNOW how hard it will be). Just more curious as to whether you get fulfillment from it, enjoyment etc. Is all that hard work and stress worth it? Or have you ended up resenting becoming a Midwife?

The idea of being a Midwife is great, and excites me, but I am unsure of whether the reality of being one will be the same so just curious on others thoughts.

VivaLeBeaver · 14/08/2012 21:52

Kabooom, that's the million dollar question and to be honest my answer would change from week to week. It can be the best job in the world it can also be an awful job.

The responsibility and the blame culture can be frightening, really frightening.

I don't think I'm underpaid as such. I would say more of a problem is being overworked. I have no problem with working hard but sometimes you are caring for more women than is ideal, at times it can feel unsafe. And of course if you make a mistake due to been rushed its your head on the line. At other times it feels like a production line. You spend your shift been reactive rather then proactive. Women need help with a breastfeed and rather than been able to sit and spend 20minutes helping I advise her to have skin to skin for half an hour with baby in approx the right place and if baby opens their mouth wide to try to get baby on. I hope in that half hour baby has got itself on (often they do) as otherwise I know I'm going to have to spend time with the woman which means people who need checks or discharges aren't going to get done. It the standard of care I want to give.

Other shifts are better and you can really feel you've made a difference to someone which makes the bad times worth it. It's when you have a run of bad shifts you get a bit down.

Kabooooom · 14/08/2012 22:39

Thank you for your reply Viva. I suppose you get bad days with a lot of jobs, but something makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside thinking about the good parts of the job. I really think it is the job for me, and I suppose I am afraid that it won't turn out like I think it will. I'm hoping to have a job I love, and I would hate to end up resenting it.

Can I ask, exactly what do you have to go through to qualify as a Midwife? And how long? I'm hoping that once I have established my career, that DP can finally shove two fingers up to his current employer and then follow his dream of becoming a Police Officer. Something positive to look forward to and to keep focused on.

Thank you for your help.

MAYBELATERNOWIMBUSY · 16/08/2012 00:08

WHY? oh why do nurses think they are "worth" a zillion ££££"s an hour ? you picked the job(career?) you must have known the pay scale ??? pleeeeeaaaaase get over yourself will ya /can you ?and go wipe that old blokes arse , why dont you?(oh sorry , that isnt wot u trained for , right !)

LurkingAndLearningLovesCats · 16/08/2012 00:16

Nurses are worth their weight in gold. I've spent a great deal of time in hospitals over the course of my life, and the tenderness, kindness and comfort they give is just invaluable when you're in agonising pain. They try to make you laugh to forget the pain, they're gentle with the needles and they push the doctors to allow more pain relief.

One nurse even let my mum sneak in Maccas instead of the hospital 'food' because as she put it 'darling girl has been through so much, she deserves a treat.'

Thanks To all the nurses out there, I thank you for what you do. In Aus we're fighting for better pay for nurses. I wear my shirt proudly and have been actively involved. Keep fighting the good fight!

BenedictsCumberbitch · 16/08/2012 07:45

maybe Biscuit

PeanutButterCupCake · 16/08/2012 08:23

maybe while I'm wiping that arse, prehaps you'd be a dear and fuck off Biscuit

WillNeverGetALicence · 16/08/2012 08:24

,Yes Lurking in Aus nurses are much better paid and have a strong union.

When I worked there I had a good standard of living, felt reasonably well paid [not banker level but entirely adequate with enough money for fun and treats after bills were paid] and felt respected for doing a professional job.

In the UK the unions are weak and Maybe's attitude that nurses should just go and wipe some old blokes's arse [nice!] are endemic.

In London it is sometimes difficult to live on £20,000 - £25,000 per year which is around the average wage for nurses. Well, you can pay rent and bills but not much left over for the nicer things in life.

What I also thought was pretty Hmm is the way you are reduced in salary if you move to a different area of nursing. So although I had 5 years of experience in critical care areas in both UK and Aus, when I wanted to move to intensive care work I was downgraded back to £20,000 a year, or a new graduate wage. Although I had a lot more experience post graduation which I brought to the role and was thus able to pick up the intensive care knowledge relatively quickly [although of course they kept me on the lower grading as long as they possibly could, I ultimately left because of this along with other working issues].

In Aus this wouldn't happen. You are paid by your level of nursing experience, with increases every year.

Not saying everything is perfect working in Aus but in terms of professional respect, better working conditions and higher wages [largely due to strong and vocal unions] it is streets ahead.

Shecot · 16/08/2012 08:31

Dear or dear, PeanutButterCupCake, what would the NMC say about telling people to 'fuck off'. You're supposed to be a professional, remember?

Shecot · 16/08/2012 08:33

Well, well, well what a terrible attitude some people have. I mean, imagine, thinking that a nurse should actually care about patients' comfort and cleanliness in wiping a patient's bottom (!). Indeed, they are obviously above such things and we should all know that they are in fact much better than doctors, who only have to get 3 A grade A'levels and train for 5 or so years to do their job. Dumbos that they (doctors) are.

Btw, I'm a writer.