I have always loved working with people and when I looked into midwifery I found that it would give me an ideal opportunity to do this. I am drawn to the fact that midwives not only provide care for women throughout pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period but also build a relationship with them and their families by being the first point of contact for them. Another appeal is that midwives are essential in preparing women for motherhood by providing support and unbiased information to allow women to make informed choices about their care and the care of their baby. I am interested in the clinical side of midwifery too such as carrying out clinical observations. At university open days I've had the chance to practice some of these skills, such as fetal heart monitoring. I enjoyed the chance to do this and am excited to practice these further.
I have spoken to an independent midwife and a community midwife and learnt how their work differs. I feel working in the NHS is where I would be happier and most suited. I was interested to hear about challenging situations, such as when a baby is stillborn. We discussed the qualities of a good midwife, such as being approachable so patients can speak openly with the midwife. I have been on a tour with expectant parents of a midwife led maternity unit which gave me an understanding of how the unit works. I particularly enjoyed meeting the parents and hearing their concerns, for example about what would happen in an emergency situation. I will soon be visiting some midwife-run antenatal classes. I hope to see an aspect of a midwife's job outside a clinical setting and see how midwives help to prepare couples for becoming parents.
I've looked at the roles of specialist midwives such as teenage pregnancy midwives and this appeals to me for the future. I regularly read journals such as British Journal of Midwives and articles on the MIDIRS website. I recently read an article on 'Campaigning for Vulnerable Migrant Women' which gave me an understanding of maternity care available for asylum seekers. I am completing an EPQ about how a midwife can work effectively with a patient with antenatal depression. I spent a day at Ronald McDonald House, part of the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, where parents stay when their child is in hospital. I visited SCBU and spoke to some parents about their experiences of having a baby there. It was a valuable experience and gave me an insight into what can take place if a baby is born with complications and the impact on the family.
I work in a care home where I have learnt basic caring skills and some new skills that I would use as a midwife. The biggest area I have improved in is my communication skills as I have learnt to adapt my way of communicating to suit the needs of different residents. I have learnt to communicate with the families of residents by listening to and acting on concerns they have. Working in a team has taught me how to communicate with colleagues about the care of residents and issues in the care home and I've learnt to be calm in emergency situations. I have learnt to prioritise and be flexible in my work, changing the order I do things due to the unpredictable nature of care work. I enjoy the fact that no two shifts are the same and look forward to the challenge of this in midwifery. In frustrating situations I have learnt to put my own beliefs and opinions to the side and focus on the needs and beliefs of the residents.
Last summer I went as part of a team to Moldova to run children's camps. It gave me a greater understanding of other cultures and gave me skills to work with people who do not speak the same language as me. As a midwife I look forward to being able to care for women of all ages, circumstances, religions and cultures and in different settings, such as in homes, hospitals, birth centres and clinics. Although midwifery will be challenging I believe overcoming this will be part of what makes the job so rewarding.
Universities Applied to:
- Wolverhampton - Offer
- Birmingham City - Offer
- Bradford - Interview (didn't attend as had offers)
- Swansea - Interview attended, do not know result as withdrew as had offers
- Sheffield Hallam - Rejected before interview
Grades Achieved:
- French (A2) - B
- Psychology (A2) - B
- Human Biology (A2) - D
