SMNET - StudentMidwife.NET

  1. Please Register!
    SMNET is an education based community supporting student midwives and those thinking about a career in midwifery. If you are a student, applying to become a student or are considering midwifery as a job then you have come to the right place. Register for free now to receive support, access educational information and to participate in discussion and debate.

Is it correct that students aren't placed on labour ward for 1st placement?

Discussion in 'A Day in the Life of a Student Midwife' started by yvettelj, Jan 7, 2012.

Page 1 of 2

  1. yvettelj Member

    Message Count:
    88
    Likes Received:
    0
    Book Reviews:
    0
    Whilst attending the Wolverhampton Uni open day, a 3rd yr student said that a Midwifery student's 1st placement will not be on a labour ward. She went on to say that it was to prevent student observing stillbirths and traumas too soon! Is this right? or is it just a policy for Wolverhampton Uni?
    Yvette x
    yvettelj, Jan 7, 2012
    #1

  2. Sparkles Active Member

    Message Count:
    1,584
    Likes Received:
    12
    Book Reviews:
    0
    Past Quiz Winner
    Re: Is it correct that students arn't placed on labour ward for 1st placement?

    I did my first placement on delivery x Not a Wolves student though x
    Sparkles, Jan 7, 2012
    #2

  3. tutsi Member

    Message Count:
    784
    Likes Received:
    1
    Book Reviews:
    0
    Re: Is it correct that students arn't placed on labour ward for 1st placement?

    It might be specific to Wolves, some of my friends from the Access Course have spoken about placements on delivery but this is in Midlands and East Anglia locations
    tutsi, Jan 7, 2012
    #3

  4. Butterfly Senior Manager and Midwifery Survivor!

    Message Count:
    5,465
    Likes Received:
    271
    Book Reviews:
    0
    SMNET Staff Past Quiz Winner
    Re: Is it correct that students arn't placed on labour ward for 1st placement?

    Different universities have different ways of doing things- some universities do place students on labour ward/delivery suite for a first placement- these are sometimes the universities with larger cohorts- so they have more places to find for their students.

    When I trained all of the students in my cohort were placed on community first, and then the second placement, some odd 5/6 months in,was a mix of hospital settings.

    It is probably less to do with observing traumatic events and more to do with logistics than anything else- as tbh the events you witness as a student (and indeed a qualified midwife) can be traumatic no matter where you are in the course.

    I was glad of the community placement first- it gave me a basics in taking observations and blood, palpations, finding FH's, building a relationship with women and breastfeeding support, all of which are essential skills for labour ward but aren't required in quite such a pressurised way.

    Labour ward, especially caring for high risk women, can be very intensive and very overwhelming for junior students- so perhaps that is why your particular uni chooses not to place you there first.

    Don't worry though- you will get your chance at the catches!! It was 8 months before I even saw a baby being born and I was so desperate to get started- but was glad eventually that I had done them in the order I did.

    Good luck! x
    Butterfly, Jan 7, 2012
    #4

  5. jellybeans Active Member

    Message Count:
    1,350
    Likes Received:
    6
    Book Reviews:
    0
    Re: Is it correct that students arn't placed on labour ward for 1st placement?

    We started in community, I think most of us preferred this and actually don't think it's to do with still births or traumas, more to do with gaining knowledge in the basics, that will then help on delivery suite
    jellybeans, Jan 8, 2012
    #5

  6. Hebamme12 Well-Known Member

    Message Count:
    3,172
    Likes Received:
    78
    Book Reviews:
    0
    Re: Is it correct that students arn't placed on labour ward for 1st placement?

    Some of my cohort started on labour ward first too.

    Like Butterfly and Jellybeans, I went to community first and despite being a bit gutted when the other girls started announcing that they had delivered lots of babies, I was extremely grateful for the added knowledge of the basic stuff when I eventually went to labourward! :) xx
    Hebamme12, Jan 8, 2012
    #6

  7. Gromit Member

    Message Count:
    838
    Likes Received:
    5
    Book Reviews:
    0
    Every uni is different. Where I am we had the first 2 semesters in community and then semester 3 on delivery suite. Community is ideal to get to grips with the basics - obs, blood taking etc and its really useful for when you do get your ds placement. We don't have a massive cohort though (21) so its easier to place everyone in the community at first.

    Not sure about the protecting you bit though, probably more about teaching you normality and letting you attend home births.

    Enjoy wherever you are placed hun
    Gromit, Jan 8, 2012
    #7

  8. pinkstar1987 Active Member

    Message Count:
    1,175
    Likes Received:
    0
    Book Reviews:
    0
    nope, i start my 1st placement 2morro- delievery suite.... eeek scared much!!
    pinkstar1987, Jan 8, 2012
    #8

  9. Victoria sponge Active Member

    Message Count:
    953
    Likes Received:
    65
    Book Reviews:
    0
    My first placement was labour ward too - and I loved it. In a way there's no pressure because you're not expected to know anything. On the other hand, I am a bit of an adrenaline junkie! I don't think there's a right or wrong about this, though - and as b/f says, where you're placed is often down to logistics of accommodating all the students.
    Victoria sponge, Jan 8, 2012
    #9

  10. iolaus Education Moderator

    Message Count:
    9,371
    Likes Received:
    164
    Book Reviews:
    1
    SMNET Staff Past Quiz Winner
    Thats not the reason, I know I've had a brand new student on labour ward - we all agreed it wasn't fair on them cos they haven't got that grounding in the basics

    My first placement was antenatal ward - my first vr shift I helped lay out a stillborn baby

    I currently work in a standalone birth centre, we recently had a woman come in in labour and there was no heartbeat. You can't be protected wherever you go, in fact labour ward is probably where you can be MORE protected from stillbirths as when they allocate the work they'll avoid giving those women to you (fresh stillbirths are very rare)
    iolaus, Jan 8, 2012
    #10
Page 1 of 2

Share This Page