Community/Postnatal Ward

[LittleNoo]

Hello Ladies...

I've been researching into when I'm likely to go on placement and where I'm likely to go.. apparently my first placement will either be postnatal ward or community (cohort split in half)

Could anyone give me a little info on our role as student midwives in these areas.. What is expected of us? What will we learn? what are shifts like?

Many Spanks xx

[smwife]

We went on community placement first. We organised meeting mentors at home and travelling with them to postnatal visits. Or meeting them at clinics.

Initially you watch visits, ask questions inbetween and generally take it all in. In clinic you watch appointments and begin to participate as your mentor allows. I began doing BP'S and Urinalysis, then doing the Fundal Height measurements, palpations and auscaltations and gradually ended up doing most then all of the appointment/visit. Postnatal visits was much the same. Gradually as you both agree and you gain in knowledge you conduct the whole visit. All documentation needs to be countersigned though.

Postnatal ward was basically following your mentor around and gradually being allowed to do more and more as time goes on. Although some mentors work differently.

Don't know what paperwork your uni has but we have to fill out a learning contract at the beginning of each placement to ensure we learn/do the appropriate things each time in order to achieve specific competencies/ learning outcomes.

It is quite hard at first, but quickly you get to be more hands on and learn really quickly that way!

Hope you enjoy it! When do you start, Noo?

[Josie]

In year one its about getting the basics, you'll do alot of observing and also a lot of hands on, depends on whats going on....

In community you will begin by observing and then having a go at things like palpation in clinic, urine analyis, BP and after few weeks you will be feeling more confident to start tackling skills like venepuncture. The rule is - no practical til youve done the theory and find out what your Uni says is acceptable for your year. i.e episiotomies are strictly a Year 3 thing etc..... in short you observe everything and by the end of the placement will have had a good go at getting the skills under your belt. You need to have skills signed off in your CAP so you will need to get going as asap at having a go and getting competent.

You will start out thinking there is no way you can do all that stuff in one placement but you will, and you'll feel great for doing so! You'll have taken babies blood ( blood spot test) palpated lots of abdomens and beginning to get the hang of the lie, recognise rashes on neonates etc

On the ward its alot of answering buzzers, helping with breastfeeding, making up bottles, conducting baby checks and PN checks on mums, ushering visitors in and out ....... again the clinical skills will be with the support of your mentor and you will soon feel comfortable cracking on with your bays and caring for your women and babies. The wards are hectic and you will need to orientate quickly as you will be running around to the kitchens, to stores etc .... Also you will get great experience on the drug rounds (I love them) once you get over the fear of OMG I may kill someone, you start to enjoy it lol You will alsways be supervised in things like drugs and dont ever dispense something without an RM and without checking the drug chart!

[LittleNoo]

i start uni on 22nd September, so placement won't be til about november.. i like to think ahead! haha

[tiffany]

Obviously it will differ for the different trusts but the girls from my uni that went onto community for their placement really got stuck in, (we did in all placement areas really) but in community some were taking bloods, testing urine, palpating, using pinnards and doing paperwork/notes like history taking on first visits.

The girls on the wards were giving injectiond, doing obs, i think a couple bathed some babies (this was only if asked to help by mums), writing in notes, bed making things like that.

As far as what is expected of you as long as you let them know its your first placement they wont expect a lot, just show that your keen to learn, ask questions, observe etc.. and thats all they will expect at the start then as you go through the placement you`l become more and more confident and im sure your mentor will see improvement.
xxxx

[LittleNoo]

Thank you I'm so excited now.. I wanna get to uni and get stuck in.. Shame I'll spend the summer stuck working my arse off to pay off debts so I can get a student bank account!!!! Doubt they'll let me have one with an outstanding credit card.

[smwife]

Originally Posted by LittleNoo Thank you I'm so excited now.. I wanna get to uni and get stuck in.. Shame I'll spend the summer stuck working my arse off to pay off debts so I can get a student bank account!!!! Doubt they'll let me have one with an outstanding credit card.

They let me and I still have debts and a crappy credit rating! (it will stay that way and is getting worse!)

Still, I have only a basic account though, no switch, cheque book or overdraft. I am better with money if I can see it!

Good luck with working, I was the same as you as soon as I found out I wanted to get on with it, enjoy the quiet though!

[LittleNoo]

Quiet?! lmao.. I've to finish Access, finish an NVQ 3 and getting married in June.. Quiet my arse... I wish!!!!! Luckily, it'll probably mean itll go quicker...

Re: bank account.. Its the overdraft i'll need, I already have a cheque book and switch card on both my current account and the joint account xx