BUMP!!!

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Josie
StudentMidwife.NET Founder & Director



MidwiferyWorld.NET our sister site for Senior Students and Midwives is now live, tell your mentors and tutors!

Hey all!!!

I feel quite lucky after reading the posts about placements!!

I have always been with a midwife that has helped me gain as many experiences as possible and they are always willing to show me what to do and how best to do it.

There are midwifes in the trust who arent as welcoming, and it is a shame for the students who have them as their mentors!!

as i said im very lucky and really appreciate the time and work my mentors put into me to help me get through my placements!!

You're supposed to do like 40% with the midwife who's assessing you - if you don't then you can't get assessed which sucks if the mentor you're assigned to is ill long tern etc...

That is what I thought, thanks Hollie.

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Bless you Mum & Dad x
Student Midwife 2007

Student uni rep
Educational Resources Manager

Have you just been offered a place? If so and you want a mentor please post in post this forum (also post here if you would like a mentee)

What about newer members thoughts?

Thought we could come back to this one.


Votes please? and tell us your experiences.

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Been reading this thread with interest as I'm not yet in that position but if all goes to plan hopefully I will be a student midwife in a few years. Firstly, I wanted to say how shocked I am that all of you that have been treated badly as student midwives and especially Josie ((((hugs)))) I'm sure that you will come through all of this as a fantastic midwife.
I've just started a new job as a ward clerk on maternity and on my 1st day one of the other ward clerks said to me "most of the midwives are lovely but some are very abrupt, you just have to get used to it"....I get the feeling that there is a "them and us", and I do feel like I'm a pleb - in fact, one of the other ward clerks told me that once a midwife called after her up the corridor - not by using her name, or even "ward clerk" but "doofer" !!!! OMG shocking!
It's made me vow that when I eventually become a midwife I will be mindful of people's feelings, no matter what position they hold
x

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Karen
Starting access course Sept 08 (hopefully!!)

On the whole i have had great mentors they have been supportive and have taught me a lot.

i find it is the other midwives who sometimes can be difficult. I have had a run in with one midwife on a few occassions and both times it has not been my fault but i took the brunt of it as i was the student on duty. It seemed very unfair but i was told to use it as a learning curve.

After my mentor took me to one side and told me she is like that with everyone so forget what happened and move on as i am competant in what i was doing and i did not need to be shouted at in that manner in front of others.

I must admit, my mentor in community placement was fantastic. She treated me as almost her equal and involved me with everything. I really felt valued on my placement with her and was sad to finish the placement. However, another girl in my placement area was referred to as "a baby student" on more than one occasion in front of women. Obviously this kind of patronising remark has left it's mark with her.

I have also found within the hosptial that there are those who are very dedicated to teaching the midwives of the future and make a damn good job of it, although there are several midwives who make a point of telling everyone how much they hate students and moan when they "have to have one".

I sat in handover recently, and was ignored until someone decided to ask me who i was meant to be working with. When i gave my mentor's name i was told she was off sick. Fair enough. I then sat for a minute, wondering what to do next.
One of the midwives was asked to "have" me. That midwife then said in front of me (and everyone else in handover) "oh, do I have to? I'm sick of students and i'm on NHS P tonight, so i don't want her".

Fortunately I'm not one to take things personally, and a kind midwife offered to mentor me for the shift.

Our cohort has actually lost one of our number due to the absolute vileness of her mentor, she just couldn't take any more.

What really bugs me is that these people were once in our position, and that one day they may have to work alongside us, the students they "hated" so much.

Unfortunately, we as students find ourselves in a difficult position - do we tell someone about it and risk then having all of the cliquey, bitchy, back stabbing staff turn against us, or do we carry on regarldess, grow a thick skin and deal with it?

It is terrible that these people also manage to get away with it, but i know i feel that there really is little we can do.
It's a sad state of affairs, as it really doesn't enhance the student learning experience, especially when you're concentrating so hard on not doing something wrong just in case you get shouted at, or stared at, dirty looks or even for the MW to walk out of the room and talk loudly about how useless you are...

Sorry, a bit of a rant there....! I'm not usually this pessimistic, honest!

ive just finished community placement and my mentor was fantastic. i was involved in everything and she explained things to me. i was never made to feel inferior in front of women.

she said she was gonna miss me and has really enjoyed working with me, and ive really missed the placement. A few girls in my cohort have had problems with their mentors too.

i start on the wards soon and im worried about what my mentor will be like, you work so close with them and to have bad felings must make things hard i dont know how i would coppe with that.

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Student Midwife jan 08

StudentMidwife.NET Moderator


Have you just been offered a place? If so and you want a mentor please post in post this forum (also post here if you would like a mentee)