Assistance needed from a midwife, But not the usual assisstance!

[Koshka]

Hi,

I am doing an access to midwifery course and I need to interview a midwife.

If you would be so good as to answer some questions for me I would be very grateful.

Thanks

not that im desperate or anything....bump

no, actually I am

I'm a midwife, you can ask me if you like.

Ooh! thanks!

I have quite a few questions if that is ok!

You don't have to answer any you do not want to. I will keep all details confidential, and obviously I have no way of personally identifying you.

Thank you in advance!

1. Age when qualified

1. If you were a mature student, why did you choose to study later on?

1. Did you always want to be a midwife?

1. How did you train

1. What qualifications do you have

1. How long have you been a midwife for?

1. What shift patterns do you usually work?

1. Which one do you prefer

1. What area do you work in (ante natal, delivery etc)

10. Which do you like best

11. Whast is your favourite aspect of the job

12. Which is your least favourite

13. Is there a lot of paperwork? Do you think this affects your job as a midwife?

14. Do you have a family?

15. Did you have one whilst training

16. Is there any extra training given once you are qualified

17. Is it easy to progress

18. Are you a member of any organisations

19 What does being a midwife mean to you

20. What is your opinion on pain relief

Thank you thank you

I'm a student midwfe - would you like e to answer?

all answers greatfully recieved!

OK.

1. Age when qualified

I'll be 35

1. If you were a mature student, why did you choose to study later on?

Never knew what I wanted to do. Had some children, then did nursing when DD2 went to school.

1. Did you always want to be a midwife?

Always wanted to. Nursing was more local so did that. Then got the chance to do midwifery.

1. How did you train

18 month Post Nursing registration. BSc Full time.

1. What qualifications do you have

GCSEs, Diploma, A level, Degree in nursing

1. How long have you been a midwife for?

Not quite there yet - been nurse for 5 years

1. What shift patterns do you usually work?

Early, Late shifts 8 hours. Nights 10 hours

1. Which one do you prefer

I like a mixture

1. What area do you work in (ante natal, delivery etc)

Job I'll get (hopefuly) will be rotational -

10. Which do you like best
    none of the above - i like low risk community stuff

11. Whast is your favourite aspect of the job
    The buzz when you know you've been part of something amazing.

12. Which is your least favourite
    When it all goes a bit tense and wrong.

13. Is there a lot of paperwork? Do you think this affects your job as a midwife?
    Hideous amount. have to repeat everything 3 or 4 times, in writing, It's high time they dragged themselves into the 21st century and stopped duplicating everything and made use of modern technology.

14. Do you have a family?
    yes. 15. Did you have one whilst training
    yes

15. Is there any extra training given once you are qualified
    yes. annual updates in emergency drills, clinical updates, BLS, man handling, blood stuff, IV stuff.
    I

16. Is it easy to progress
    don't know yet

17. Are you a member of any organisations
    Yes.

19 What does being a midwife mean to you
clinical stuff is lovely. paerwork is shite

20. What is your opinion on pain relief there's a time and a place for everything.

thank you very much

if any other midwives want to answer my questions i would be very grateful.

1. Age when qualified

35

1. If you were a mature student, why did you choose to study later on?

N/A

1. Did you always want to be a midwife?

Yes

1. How did you train

Direct entry diploma

1. What qualifications do you have

GCSES, 2 x A levels, Registered midwife, supervisor of midwives

1. How long have you been a midwife for?

13 years

1. What shift patterns do you usually work?

12 hour shifts, two consecutive days

1. Which one do you prefer

shorter shifts although 12 hours better for me at mo due to childcare

1. What area do you work in (ante natal, delivery etc)

a birth centre 10. Which do you like best birth centre or community 11. Whast is your favourite aspect of the job Normal spontaneous labours/ waterbirths/ home births 12. Which is your least favourite dealing with stroppy and rude people, antenatal clinic 13. Is there a lot of paperwork? Do you think this affects your job as a midwife? most of it is necessary. as far as I'm concerned it is a chance to sit down with a cuppa if I've been busy! Sometimes the extra bits get a bit rediculous though. 14. Do you have a family? yes, currently on maternity leave with third child 15. Did you have one whilst training no 16. Is there any extra training given once you are qualified I have done several short courses, and have to do mandatory updates every year. 17. Is it easy to progress for some people, but higher grades are much more managerial 18. Are you a member of any organisations rcm 19 What does being a midwife mean to you it is very important to me 20. What is your opinion on pain relief Important for some women to have everything going, many want to avoid epidurals and pethidine and I want to support those who do whilst supporting those who want them to get them.

thank you so much for completing this for me, i am very grateful!
It makes me even more to want to be a midwife!

1. Qualified at age 23

1. N/A

1. Yes, ever since I was lucky enough to be with my auntie in labour when I was a 17 year old student nurse.

1. 18 month post nursing course

1. RGN, RM, (I'm a dinosaur!)

1. 17 years

1. 12.5 hour day or night shifts, 44 hours a week not including breaks.

1. Either is OK

1. Delivery Unit

10. Right where I am

11. Knowing I have helped someone through an extremely precious day

12. Politics and obnoxious people

13. Loads of paperwork and computer data. Necessary evil in this litigous world. Keeps me late sometimes.

14. No.

15. N/A

16. Continuous. Hard to get time back though.

17. Depends how keen you are.

18. Licensed in 3 coutries and professional bodies

19. I'm lost without Midwifery in my life

20. Essential to have it available for those who want it but delighted to support those who don't.

Good luck with your course. I love my job!

Koshka, can i hijack your thread to ask you where you are doing your access course? Am trying to find one to fit in with children and am struggling! Good luck with your course.

1. Age when qualified

23

1. If you were a mature student, why did you choose to study later on?

N\A

1. Did you always want to be a midwife?

since I was 16

1. How did you train

3 yr higher ed diploma ,direct entry(no nursing first)

1. What qualifications do you have

8 gcse,1 alevel and Higher Ed diploma in Midwifery

1. How long have you been a midwife for?

10 yrs this year

1. What shift patterns do you usually work?

Lates(2 till 10),nights(12 hrs)and occasional earlies(7.20-3.20pm)

1. Which one do you prefer

Prefer a mixture

1. What area do you work in (ante natal, delivery etc)

Rotate to various areas every couple of yrs,have just finished 3 yrs on midwife led birth unit,now working on a consultant led antenatal/postnatal ward.

10. Which do you like best

Like midwife led birth unit the best-proper midwifery!!

11. Whast is your favourite aspect of the job

seeing new additions being welcomed into a loving family!And feeling like I've made a difference.

12. Which is your least favourite

Not being able to do my job properly when short staffed

13. Is there a lot of paperwork? Do you think this affects your job as a midwife?

Yes ,way too much unfortunately,but due to litigation now also very necessary so you can recall events when asked about them yrs later!
14. Do you have a family?

yes,7 yr old and 1 yr old

15. Did you have one whilst training

No,wouldn't have coped well with that,BIG respect to everyone who does though!

16. Is there any extra training given once you are qualified

You never stop learning, things change all the time ,so we get extra training often

17. Is it easy to progress

Not that easy if you stay in the same hospital but I am happy being a "bog standard" midwife!

18. Are you a member of any organisations

RCM
19 What does being a midwife mean to you

Everything after my family- midwives are my extended family! Can't imagine not being a midwife now.
20. What is your opinion on pain relief

Every woman should keep an open mind on it until in labour.Gas n air fab,pethidene 50/50, its great for some and crap for others,epidurals great only when really needed,really think they should be a last resort due to increased rate of delay in 2nd stage & increased risk of ventouse/forceps.

Thank you thank you

oh thank you!!!!

I am doing it with the DLC, its great actually.

www.distancelearningcentre.com

1. Age when qualified 31

1. If you were a mature student, why did you choose to study later on? Career change

1. Did you always want to be a midwife? No

1. How did you train 3 year midwifery diploma, f/t

1. What qualifications do you have

diploma in midwifery

1. How long have you been a midwife for?

3 years

1. What shift patterns do you usually work?

earliers, lates, nights

1. Which one do you prefer

lates

1. What area do you work in (ante natal, delivery etc)

rotate between labour ward and antenatal/postnatal ward

10. Which do you like best

labour ward

11. Whast is your favourite aspect of the job

making a difference to a woman

12. Which is your least favourite

the backstabbing and bitchiness from other midwives

13. Is there a lot of paperwork? Do you think this affects your job as a midwife?

Yes a lot, I do think it affects the job as not left with enough time to focus on the woman

14. Do you have a family? yes

15. Did you have one whilst training ye

16. Is there any extra training given once you are qualified
    . yes, lots

17. Is it easy to progress yes

18. Are you a member of any organisations. rcm

19 What does being a midwife mean to you. I think its a fab vocation and best job in the world.

20. What is your opinion on pain relief. I think women should be given all information so they can make an informed choice. Whatever they choose is good.

Thank you thank you