Midwifery v's Nursing - help!

Can anyone help...

I've been trying to prepare answers to questions I may be asked at my Bangor interview in April, and although in my head I know the reasons behind wanting to be a midwife and not a nurse, I can't put them into words... and I just KNOW the question I'll get asked is why Midwifery and not Nursing?

Any ideas? Normally I'm not short of things to say, but I have to admit on this one, I'm stumped!

Please can anyone offer any suggestions to the main differences between midwifery and nursing? Hopefully, this will enable me to avoid sounding like an illiterate, bumbling mess on the day!

Sally
x

Well, as nursing is looking after 'sick' people and midwifery is being 'with woman' - who are well (usually)- for her pregnancy, birth and postnatal period, there is no comparison to be made.
KS

I never wanted to do nursing as I don't cope well with the elderly, but having spent some of my placements on a surgical ward full of elderly ones, I found I actually quite enjoyed most of it - I still wouldn't want to do nursing though!

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Kentish Spitfire
Moderator, Student Services
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"It's better to be thought a fool - rather than proved a fool!"

Nursing is generally caring for sick and injured people, usually for a shortish period of time, caring being the key word, Midwifery is dealing with generally healthy women (although there are exceptions) who are going through a natural experience, promoting health issues for the woman and her baby, letting her make informed choices and supporting her in these choices. Midwives can give continuous care over a period of months and build up a good relationship with women and their families.

This is what I said at my interview, and I was offered a place so some of it must have made sense!

xx

yep. What they said + maybe

Nursing is caring and rehabilitation of the sick or injured.

Midwifery is facilitating a natural process, optimising health for mother and child.

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overexcited http://www.studentmidwife.net/../../...t5_b/party.gif Can u tell?

I would say somthing like, Midwifery is a form of caring, but during a positive life experience as opposed to negative ones which tend to be in nursing, more support and educating than caring i think! x Good Luck..... I wasn't asked any of the more complicated questions that i had prepared for in Swansea. Sods Law!

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STUDENT MIDWIFE 2008 ... WOOOOO HOOOOO

That's a good answer Pickles, but midwifery doesn't always have a postive outcome sadly, so that point would need to be made too.

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Midwifemissy x

Student Midwife 2007
Student uni rep
Educational Resources Manager

PAB Support Worker

Yeah, your right! I asked about dealing with the negative expeirences in my interview as it concerns me how i would cope with that!... Have you witnessed anything like that yet?

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STUDENT MIDWIFE 2008 ... WOOOOO HOOOOO

Not yet, but I know at some point I will. I don't think you can know how you will react to it, and deal with it until you are faced with the situation to be honest.

I just hope I can provide the best care and support without being intrusive that the parents and family need. I feel it is ok to shed a tear with the family (we are human after all) but not to be a blubbering wreck, as that won't be appropriate or be any help to them.

Once you have finshed caring for the family, then it is ok to give vent to your own feelings, and I would also want to write down my thoughts and feelings later once I got home, as I feel that would help me to understand and deal with how I felt.

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Midwifemissy x

Student Midwife 2007
Student uni rep
Educational Resources Manager

PAB Support Worker

Midwives are advocates for women, they build close relationships often over a long period of time, one of the few health professions to do this and support both women and their families through various clinical stages - antenatal, intrapartum and postnatally. They empower women by providing them with information and advice so they can make informed choices about their pregnancy and birth. They are independent professionals that work as part of the multisdisciplinary team. The clients that midwives care for are usually between the ages of 16-40 and are usually in good health although this is not always the case hence why midwives work closely with Consultants and specalist Doctors such as ones who are expert in diabetes. Midwives can administer drugs that are listed in the patient group directive, as standing orders without a prescription from a Dr.

Heres some background of PGD's.

http://www.mhra.gov.uk/Howweregulate...eNHS/index.htm

Nurses provide care for sick and injured men, women, children and babies, from birth to over 100 years of age, depending on their chosen area of specialism and training. Often the care is for a short period of time until the patient has returned to good or stable health. However this is not always the case as many nurses provide ongoing care and support for patients and families with ongoing health concerns or conditions. Some nurses who have taken the prescribing course, can prescribe medicines to patients. Nurses also work as part of a multi disciplinary team.

Both professions are regulated by the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

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StudentMidwife.NET Founder & Director

What do we live for, if it is not to make life less difficult for each other?
(George Eliot, 1860)

Thanks for that link TallPoppy,

I have saved it in my favourites, I am sure it will be useful and needed at some point.

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Midwifemissy x

Student Midwife 2007
Student uni rep
Educational Resources Manager

PAB Support Worker