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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to want a fully qualified health visitor?

72 replies

MisselthwaiteManor · 10/06/2013 21:07

I had an unannounced visit from a HV today, I'm 36 weeks pregnant with my first baby. She was an unaccompanied student.

I don't think she knew what she was doing and I didn't know what she was supposed to be doing either so it was all very awkward.

Are students normally accompanied by fully fledged HVs?

I'm annoyed, I am probably being precious but it's my first born and I have no family to ask for advice so I was actually looking forward to having a health visitor. Disappointed that the one I got was more bemused than me.

OP posts:
mrsjay · 10/06/2013 21:09

Are students normally accompanied by fully fledged HVs?

oh I think somebody should have been with her phone the health centre in the morning did she have full ID seems a bit strange she was allowed to visit on her own

gemdotcom · 10/06/2013 21:11

Sounds very odd!
All my HV's called to arrange a visit a day or two in advance, plus im fairly certain they will visit you with a senior HV before seeing you alone. Call the clinic/GP to make sure she was who she said she was ( if you hadn't seen her previously)

pigletmania · 10/06/2013 21:12

That's funny it's unusual to have a HV before baby is born. Well I've never heard of that

FutTheShuckUp · 10/06/2013 21:13

Unaccompanied HV's are in their last stage of training and are already qualified nurses/midwives. Of course though its up to you if you want to request a qualified one.

FutTheShuckUp · 10/06/2013 21:13

Unaccompanied STUDENT HV's even

mrsjay · 10/06/2013 21:13

I havnt but i havnt had a baby in years it was always the Midwife you saw phone the surgery did you catch her name did she leave you any notes or leaflets or anything ?

AdmiralData · 10/06/2013 21:14

I was going to add that I'd never heard of a HV arriving before the baby! :s Certainly suspicious. I'd also phone my gp surgery.

pigletmania · 10/06/2013 21:14

Yes call the health visitors office

figwit · 10/06/2013 21:14

Student HV's do visits on their own towards the end of their training, but only when they are competent to do so. These visits are usually planned though. I would ring and say you weren't very happy with her, otherwise you may see her again when you have the new baby visit.

Birdsgottafly · 10/06/2013 21:14

Did she give a reason for her visit?

Is it normal for HV to visit during pregnancy, in some areas?

If a pregnant woman is deemed as needing support, in our region, it is a specialist MW that attends.

I wonder if she is a student, if she has been given home visits to pregnant women (rather than new Mums), to build up experience, but i don't think that, that should be happening.

holidaysarenice · 10/06/2013 21:15

you dont have to have an unqualified hv. she is a qualified nurse but still a student hv.

normally they are accompanied, only in the very last placement will they be unaccompanied.

Nishky · 10/06/2013 21:15

What fut said - she was hardly just out of GCSE's

pigletmania · 10/06/2013 21:15

It's usually the midwives that deal,with you before baby

StetsonsAreCool · 10/06/2013 21:16

I had a student HV after DD was born, but she came to the first visit with a fully qualified one. Took over on her own after that, and she was marvellous. I really missed her when she qualified and began work in a neighbouring PCT.

She was completing her final hours so she could get the bit of paper that said was qualified - apart from that, she'd completed all the training so she knew exactly what she was talking about.

If you're concerned, I'd ring the HV office and speak to them about it. Hopefully they'll put your mind at ease.

FutTheShuckUp · 10/06/2013 21:16

We are meant to do antenatal contacts where I work- but due to staff shortage we dont, but it should be offered

gallicgirl · 10/06/2013 21:16

HV here only come after birth and always call to make an appointment in advance. Very strange.

TwasBrillig · 10/06/2013 21:17

Our area has hv visits towards the end of the pregnancy, I think to familiarise yourself with them and to make handover easier after the birth, let you know what hv do, when clinics are etc. We also get the red book at that time.

ToomuchIsBackOnBootcamp · 10/06/2013 21:19

I'm in Scotland, so maybe system here is a bit different, but everyone I know saw a midwife for prenatal, birth and a few days postnatal. Health visitor took over at around 6 to 10 days post natal only.

I would def investigate a little further, esp as she hadn't booked the visit with you in advance, is that right? Seems odd.

Original poster
MisselthwaiteManor · 10/06/2013 21:20

I don't think she was an imposter, the midwife did say she would refer me to the health visiting team weeks ago. I'll text the midwife to double check though!

I'm sure she's not completely unqualified as a medical professional but she didn't seem to know what she was there for as a health visitor. There was a lot of awkward silences because I didn't know what she was there for either.

OP posts:
ninjanurse · 10/06/2013 21:20

I work in a health visiting team and we are starting to do antenatal visits as well. Student HVs will be in the last part of their training and will already be qualified nurses or midwives.

SirBoobAlot · 10/06/2013 21:22

Oh come on, if she far enough along in her training to be doing visits alone, she's close to completing.

Normal here for a HV meeting before giving birth, though agree these appointments should be arranged in advance.

Laurier88 · 10/06/2013 21:24

In my area you always get an antenatal visit from the hv so don't worry about that - is perfectly normal. You ought to have had a letter or telephone call prior to this visit, but NHS post systems are notoriously slow, so don't worry about that. As others have said, student hv's are already a qualified nurse or midwife, and should be reasonably far through their course to be allowed out unaccompanied. If you feel the visit was not up to an acceptable standard or you need more info, contact your hv's office & give them feedback on the student & ask for a further hv to visit.

Birdsgottafly · 10/06/2013 21:25

They may be qualified Nurses, but can of come from any branch of Nursing. HV's although Health Professionals, are Family Support/Children and Family orientated, so very different from MH Nursing, for example.

Her obvious discomfort whilst there, means that she is far from ready to carry out solo visits.

BalloonSlayer · 10/06/2013 21:27

In 2 out of my 3 babies I have had HV visits before the baby was born. One in Kent, one in W.Sussex.

Not strange at all. Hmm at all the scaremongers.

OMG!!!! That kind lady that came and gave me advice about the cot before I had DS1 and was a tremendous support to me after he was born MUST have been some sort of villainous perv operating some sinister agenda because some Mumsnetter never had a HV visit HER before the birth. FFS!

BTW should I also be concerned that:

  • where I used to live I didn't have a scan till 20 weeks, but here, in the next county, you get one at 13 weeks? Are one lot negligent bastards ignoring my unborn child, or are the other lot villainous bastards trying to assess my unborn child for nefarious purposes?
  • where I live now I have to have a glucose test. Where I lived before I didn't. Is this significant? Should I be worried? Should I call the police?

OR SHOULD I COME TO TERMS WITH THE FACT THAT SOME AREAS DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY FROM OTHERS, HAVE A CUP OF TEA THEN POP OUT TO GET A FUCKING GRIP

theboutiquemummy · 10/06/2013 21:27

All of my health visitors were shit so I'm no help !

Sorry

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