Student or unpaid staff? - Page 2

Freefall · #11 (**permalink**) 22-Mar-2008, 23:42

I agree with most of what ollybolly is saying, however I disagree with this comment ..

Originally Posted by ollybolly

As students although we are not supernumery i dont believe we are unpaid workforce either. We get an NHS bursary which as we all know does not go a long way, and is way below the minimum wage when all is said is done, but we do get paid none the less.

While that may be true for you ollybolly, it is not true of many others. A good few of my cohort do not get any bursary whatsoever, so no, some do not ''get paid none the less'' and therefore are an unpaid workforce .

Mojito · #12 (**permalink**) 23-Mar-2008, 08:04

I am just about to start my training and was asked last week how much I would be paid compared to my current salary. When I said we didn't get paid there was a little disbelief then the comment 'Well students only go in to Uni for about 6 hours a week" Bless , I soon put him straight. He did then ask me ''Well why are you doing it then?"

SMWConfuddled · #13 (**permalink**) 26-Mar-2008, 07:10

I do see where MM is coming from here, it depends also which ward you are on. If on PN then there are many things you can get on with, not only doing obs but Mum and Baby checks, answering any queries and generally cracking on. On a first placement, however, on AN ward there can be high risk women taking up a lot of midwife's time with scenarios which aren't easy for a midwife to incorporate a first year student. In these instances short staffing can really impact what a first year can gain during a shift. I am sure second placements are better and there are definitely advantages to being left to 'get on with it' in terms of developing communication skills, but I do know what MM means. Lack of proper mentorship on a first placement can really impact on the experience, as I discovered on my first DS placement when I worked with a different mentor each shift and the RMs clearly couldn't be bothered (perhaps understandably) to invest much time in my learning. Tricky.

SMWC

midwifemissy · #14 (**permalink**) 26-Mar-2008, 09:01

Originally Posted by SMWConfuddled

I do see where MM is coming from here, it depends also which ward you are on. If on PN then there are many things you can get on with, not only doing obs but Mum and Baby checks, answering any queries and generally cracking on. On a first placement, however, on AN ward there can be high risk women taking up a lot of midwife's time with scenarios which aren't easy for a midwife to incorporate a first year student. In these instances short staffing can really impact what a first year can gain during a shift. I am sure second placements are better and there are definitely advantages to being left to 'get on with it' in terms of developing communication skills, but I do know what MM means. Lack of proper mentorship on a first placement can really impact on the experience, as I discovered on my first DS placement when I worked with a different mentor each shift and the RMs clearly couldn't be bothered (perhaps understandably) to invest much time in my learning. Tricky.

SMWC

You said it so much better than I did, thank you.

Hollie DMU · #15 (**permalink**) 07-Apr-2008, 17:57

I'm an almost free member of staff - (it works out as about 3 pound 40 pence an hour on a 510 p/m) - if it weren't for student midwives (in my trust anyway) the place would very quickly and very easily sink. In the past where I've been on the only ST/MW on shift due to shift changes the the wards have been aweful me plus 2 maybe 3 midwives + 2 MCAs for a ward of 24 women - is impossible especially when your juggling beds for twins, IUDs, SBs, EMCS/ELCS, Pre-eclampsia etc... its crazy. not forgetting that 5 probably want to go home by 2 o'clock so you've got to do their discharge, checks and sort out theirs meds.

TallPoppy · #16 (**permalink**) 07-Apr-2008, 18:42

Hollie, that is very familiar....

midwifemissy · #17 (**permalink**) 07-Apr-2008, 18:43

Here too.

smwife · #18 (**permalink**) 08-Apr-2008, 12:28

Yup, same here!

tracyb · #19 (**permalink**) 08-Apr-2008, 13:37

Well...

I agree with most of the posts, I think its the same everywhere, our trust will not phone for extras on a night for example if there are students working that can be utilised on all floors (del, p/n and a/n).

The midwifery matron once asked one of our 2nd year students to be the 2nd midwife on the postnatal ward with only one other member of staff- ridiculous, horrendous etcetc....

I was on my medical placement and they put me on fri, sat and sunday so that they could cancel all the ad hoc HCA for the weekend!!! Needless to say I had a few choice words to say about that one, and took it to the university to challenge it.

I think we also come in very handy- particularly when you are a senior (well been on the course for ages IYKWIM) student for looking after women in labour, its more out of necessity for the midwives to utilise us in such a way.

Last year (my final placement on del) I was looking after 2 low-risk women next door to each other (in hospital-not home lol) and I was flitting between the 2 rooms, so sad for the women, who obviously do not deserve it.
Nor do we xx

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Student or unpaid staff?