Anyone know the student midwife procedure?

[blueskydrinking]

Just wondering.... My last mw appt, there was a student midwife in with her.

I thought as a general rule, if there is a student in with the practitioner you are being seen by, they check if you mind the student being there and either continue as normal or supervise.

At my last appt, mw cheerfully introduced student and then disappeared, leaving student to do all tests (including a dubiously low blood pressure result. MW commented on it when she returned but didn't question it). She nipped back in at the end, had a speedy look through results and sent me on my way.

Does anyone know - is this normal?!

I think it's becoming common practice as MWs become more and more stretched.

My MW has an 'Antenatal Healthcare Assistant' doing these things for her.

But technically, it's not on. And you're right , you should be asked. My GP has recently become a teaching practice and have students all the time, but it's made very clear you can ask for them to not be present.

Not normal in my experience.

I had a student midwife at one antenatal appointment, but the senior midwife stayed there the whole time and watched her do all the tests. Senior midwife also repeated all the tests to check the student had done them right. And the senior midwife did the bloods, as the student couldn't manage that. Apparently my veins 'moved' at the crucial moment...

You should be asked first if you mind the student present. I would hope that she was final year and therefore extremely capable, but I'd be concerned if she didn't highlight any abnormal results to the mw.

Thanks for your replies. The mw is mad as a hatter anyway but I'm sure it's not quite right. Particularly when one of the tests gives a slightly strange result.

I've had a student midwife with the normal midwife 3 out of 5 times now. The midwife lets the student midwife do her thing but supervises and takes over if there's a problem. For example, last time, the student couldn't find my pulse.

They never asked for my permission. Maybe it's different in labour?

You dont have to be seen by a student if you dont want to. They might not ask (though they should), but you always have the option to refuse to have a student present.

I've had a student MW at one of my appts aswell, but my MW did ask my permission first and stayed throughout to supervise.

Must be more commonplace, this happened to me first preg but was always introduced and asked if they could attend and observe.

This pregnancy is was called into a room at docs by trainee and it was assumed it was ok as she introduced herself, wasn't asked, she was useless both times I was expected to see her and MW had to come in and deal with my stuff, even though I said upon arrival second time I didn't want to see trainee, was not happy amount assumption or confident in her dealing with me, was a bit of tearful wreck in first trimester and she couldn't get any blood and messed up BP twice...and other stuff about her manner.

When I spoke up MW was just about polite but I could clearly tell she wasn't happy and remarked they were a MW down...so??? it's a shame they are stretched, I was in clinic for 3.5 hrs the other day and saw four different staff in four different rooms, they were a doctor short too, but the staff were excellent and still took their time to listen whe I was asking lots of q's.