I'm an almost free member of staff - (it works out as about 3 pound 40 pence an hour on a 510 p/m) - if it weren't for student midwives (in my trust anyway) the place would very quickly and very easily sink. In the past where I've been on the only ST/MW on shift due to shift changes the the wards have been aweful me plus 2 maybe 3 midwives + 2 MCAs for a ward of 24 women - is impossible especially when your juggling beds for twins, IUDs, SBs, EMCS/ELCS, Pre-eclampsia etc... its crazy. not forgetting that 5 probably want to go home by 2 o'clock so you've got to do their discharge, checks and sort out theirs meds.