Etiquette Placement Suggestions for Student Midwives from an RM

First please note this isn't aimed at any particular student who I have worked with lately, I've been pondering writing it for a while.

• If at handover there aren't enough seats to go round, offer to give yours upto a member of staff (not just the midwives) that way you will get offered a seat when your feet are tired too!
• Buzzers, telephone bells etc - answer them, don't sit there flicking through a magazine whilst everyone else gets up and gets them (especially if they are eating and leave their food to get cold whilst you read about Victoria Beckham)
• Spend time with labouring women, if asked to assess their pain then you are in the room for at least 10 minutes, not just ask them and come back out.
• Show an interest and look enthusiastic.
• Don't boss other people around, if you are asked to do it then do so don't try to delegate to other people, either lower yeared students, your own cohort or NAs - this is not the same as teaming up or asking for help, that's fine
• If you have nothing to do, then ask if there is something rather than picking up a magazine (obviously if everyone is sat there the answer will be no but it's polite to ask)
• If you are writing in notes get them co-signed even if it's waving them in front of your mentors face
• If you work a different shift then ask in advance if it's ok with who you are going to work with don't just assume it's ok - they may have already agreed to another student on that shift
• ALWAYS write your shifts on the off duty, we need to know who to expect and when
• Remain professional, yes we know it's exciting when you have a birth and a big grin or babbling excitedly, is fine, even expected - dancing down the corridor singing a song 'I had a baby, I had a baby' is not
• You are not above making a bed, cleaning and general housekeeping is not just the NAs job it's everyones job

Re: Etiqutte Placement Suggestions for Student Midwives from an RM

Wow Iolaus I always had the impression SMs would be run off their feet, I can't believe anyone would feel they have the time to sit down and read a mag???

Re: Etiqutte Placement Suggestions for Student Midwives from an RM

I like to think that most of these are kind of obvious, aren't they? Embarrassing that we'd have to be told these things!

Re: Etiqutte Placement Suggestions for Student Midwives from an RM

LOL that's sort of what I thought but I guess some people need common sense lessons?

*slap on wrist for BluePixie for being rude...!*

Re: Etiquette Placement Suggestions for Student Midwives from Iolaus

"If you work a different shift then ask in advance if it's ok with who you are going to work with don't just assume it's ok - they may have already agreed to another student on that shift"

I have to say that this one to me wasn't that obvious. I'd have assumed if I was told to be on someone elses shift then that is what i'm supposed to do and would have thought i'd be just annoying asking the mentor as thought she would have pre approved this.