1st year midwifery student

Hi all I wanted to know I am thinking of going into midwifery next year via access course this year. My question is I am a single parent to young kids is there any consideration for night shifts because there won't be cover for nights. Or is this not until 3rd year.

Hello @kindred22

I hope you're well. I am a third year midwifery student! You start placement from first year in midwifery, due to the required amount of NMC hours needed to pass the course and you will have placement throughout your whole course. You are expected to work a variety of shifts, including nights & this is one of the responsibilities of a midwife to work any shift pattern. If you do end up applying to any specific universities, or, prior to that, look out for open days that you could attend where you could discuss with the midwifery team if they would be lenient in terms of shift patterns for you.

However, even if they do this at university which I don't think they 100% will, you would have to consider what this would look like as a qualified midwife - you are expected to do any shift patterns unless you are signed off by Occupational Health.

I hope this helps!
Jade
Cov Uni Student Ambassador

Hi all I wanted to know I am thinking of going into midwifery next year via access course this year. My question is I am a single parent to young kids is there any consideration for night shifts because there won't be cover for nights. Or is this not until 3rd year.

Qualified midwife for 4 years now.

You'll have to do Nightshift and weekend working as part of NMC regulations. I only done one nights in first year and then I did Nightshift almost once a month sometimes I did more depends on how they worked out rotas. In my final year I did 23 Nightshifts over my placements with rest being dayshift and weekend working. Working Nightshift or dayshift over the weekends are something that you'll have to get use to.

Childcare is as you know is your responsibility as you obviously must have known that you'll be working various shifts as a midwife. I knew it before I even applied for my degree as nursing runs in my family as both my mum and big sister are adult nurses.

As a qualified midwife depends on whether you get a hospital position then you'll be able to swap a few shifts around but don't ask for it all the time as you want get it.

As a student midwife you may have opportunity to perhaps switch a few Nightshifts to Day shift but you'll eventually have to do them.
Only way I think you can't do Nightshifts is medical reason but otherwise you may have to do them.

I teach student midwife's and none of them are unable to get out of doing Nightshift unless they provide evidence that they can't do it. They are able to switch a few shifts around but they don't get any more after that.

If you get a community position job then you'll be on call usually for to attend emergency situation - this various from health board to health board as depends on how they do there job adverts because our NHS has started to put into the job adverts that you'll be working in both the hospital and in the community, my current contract states this but so far I haven't been called to work in the community as can't refuse as part of my contract I signed.


I agree with what person said in post #2 .

Thankyou

You are welcome 🤗🤗

What you need to do is discuss any issues with your course leader and placement officer when you start your course next year so they are aware of things and then it's up to them to decide what to do....

Thanks for the advice,I will.do that