As a newly qualified midwife I am often astounded by the amount of students we have in the wards. As a student I just 'got on' with my placements - working hard to achieve good grades and enhancing my skills and never much paying attention to the number of other students the midwife may have mentored.
Since I only qualified 4 months ago, I don't yet meet the criteria to be a sign off mentor for students however with the increasing number of student midwives it sometimes means I will have a student shadow or work alongside me for a shift and honestly it is fantastic.

As a student I valued the different input from the variety of mentors I had and really enjoyed working with some colleagues and adapted my practice to fall inline with how they worked - a pick and mix of skills and behaviour to shape who I am now as a midwife. Knowing that another student is learning from how I practice and I am influencing their experiences is overwhelming and often extremely satisfying.

I've worked with all three year group students over the past few months and it has made me realise that it is not only our job as midwives to care and advocate for the women and families in our care (family centred care is a BIG priority for me) but I'm also able to provide student centred care where I can support, supervise and allow the new generation of midwives to grow and learn within our working environment.

My main tips for students entering a placement with a new mentors are:
1. Be profession - listen to your mentor and ask questions, do not assume because sometimes that can lead to confusion and ultimately bad care decisions.
2. Speak up if you don't know - there are no silly questions and if you are feeling put of your depth, tell us! We don't want you to have a bad placement.
3. Reflect, daily if need be. On decisions made, the outcomes and most importantly on your feelings.
4. Use other students as learning tools too - active discussion can make you understand more sometimes than the black and white of a textbook.

I'll be applying for my mentorship as soon as I am able and until then I will be asking (sorry!) the students I work with about their experiences and how best I can support them while they are working alongside me, whether it be for one shift or three.

Have many other newly qualified midwives worked with students yet?
What is your opinion?

How do you think the new NMC #FutureMidwife pre-registration guidelines will change to support mentors and students in the future?

Ruth x

twitter: @Ruth_NQM
instagram: @sagefeminist_

About a week ago I called out on twitter for any words of advice for myself and other newly qualified midwives starting their first shifts!




I was overwhelmed by some of the lovely and encouraging replies so I have collated them and put them in this blog post for you all to read.

If you have any of your own use hashtag #adviceforNQM on twitter and tweet me @Ruth_NQM

Newly Qualified Midwife Bowler.
I have just today finished my makeup time shifts before registering as a Midwife with the NMC.
I am over the moon as I have worked extremely hard putting in extra curricular effort and personal study to become a midwife over the last three years, but now the realisation hits me and wow, now what?!

I have had a million and one questions in my head recently about my upcoming role as a rotational midwife. Questions mainly surrounding preceptorship and how I will be supported as a newly qualified midwives.

It was highlighted in both the England and Scotland State of Maternity Services Reports by the Royal College of Midwives released on 12/09/18 that for the number of midwives leaving the profession there are not enough newly qualified midwives being employed. An ageing but skilled workforce are leaving and the staffing deficit still remains at around 3500 across UK.

So what does that mean for us newly qualified midwives?
The transition from third year student to newly qualified occurs over a few weeks and although we are signed off as proficient, working independently in a demanding service can be difficult to those trusts already having issues with burnout and staff retention.

A way to help with this has been developed by two different trusts.
Greater Glasgow and Clyde offer a 'purple watch' support system for newly qualified staff. NQM wear the purple fob watch and place a purple magnet next to the woman in their care so other members of staff can identify the NQM and are aware they may require further support during the shift. The NQM can stop wearing the watch once they feel more competent.

I love this idea as it identifies the NQM without the presumption they may need support, but allows team to structure support needed amongst them during the shift.



(Source: Elizabeth Barilli Twitter)

The other system was implemented for all new staff undertaking preceptorship at a South West England Hospital who were given a badge to identify they were undertaking their preceptorship year.


(Source: Nursing Times Twitter)

With many staff reporting unsupportive work environments, bullying in the work place, staff shortages and morale issues - implementing a support system from the beginning of people's career may help to build a different workplace culture and hopefully better working environment helping to retain staff withing maternity services.

As I enter my preceptorship year I'm looking to see if my trust can implement a similar system for NQM, and I will also bring this support system into my skills I hope to use as a future mentor to new student midwives.

How does your trust support newly qualified midwives in their preceptorship year?
Let me know in the comments below.

Ruth x

PS - My twitter handle will be changing soon as I am no longer a student! Keep your eyes peeled here and on my Instagram @sagefeminist_

Since creating this blog I have been flooded with requests and follows from loads of fantastic student midwives and newly qualified midwives about starting social media accounts. Asking for advice on how to develop a professional relationship between social media and midwifery, and how I developed my personal social media style.

I have been an avid tweeter personally but started a student midwife account (@ruth_stmw) at the MAMA conference in 2017 where I was inspired by the twitter power of Sheena Byrom!
I began by tweeting my thoughts and experiences of the speakers and topics at the conference. Tis helped me to connect with a number of other midwives and student midwives in the community.
I quickly decided to develop a blog to share my experiences as a student midwife but also develop an area using infographics to support students learning.

I was then approached by Sheena and Anna Byrom on twitter to collaborate with a few other students on a student persepective for the new The Practising Midwife Journal and I joined the editorial board. I also supported them with two other amazing student midwives (Charlene and Ali) to launch ‘the future midwife blog’ on All 4 Maternity.

Since then the community on twitter has grown,  and encouragingly the number of student midwife blogs has also grown! Social media usage has begun to be promoted and accepted as a form of midwifery learning and discussion. My university has promoted my blog on twitter, retweeted students opinions and now encouraged students to use social media to engage with midwifery community.

I have recently expanded my social media presence onto Instagram to link with this blog and document my journey to becoming a newly qualified midwife. I'm also hoping it will continue to benefit my passion of supporting new student midwives in their training and midwifery journey. By using visual imagery I'm hoping to put a more personal note to my blog posts and promote some visual learning and great midwifery personalities on Instagram.

So follow me at @sagefeminist_

Feel free to continue to send me messages on how to develop social media for student midwives, on developing a social media profile or any advice on using twitter in Midwifery Community.

Look up the following hashtags to join in! Hashtags help community interact and find like minded individuals on twitter / Instagram.

#WeMidwives
#InItTogether
#StudentMidwife
#MidwiferyStudent
#NewlyQualifiedMidwife

My style has continued to be the same level of friendly professionalism I bring into my work, however I love to share personal achievements and opinions hence why my twitter bio includes 'All Opinions Are My Own' an important inclusion in a world where our employers or educators can see what we put out into social media platforms.

If you're inspired - start with twitter and check out my Inspirational Midwives blog post on some midwives as I've included their twitter handles!


Ruth x

It's back! The Channel 5 docu-series following a group of Midwives from the Highlands of Scotland undertaking rural midwifery at it's best.
This season they've introduced new group of midwives working in North East of Scotland in Peterhead - which is where I had my third year community placement!

So maybe, slightly biased review coming up. Especially as I working with some of the midwives and involved in the setting up of the renovated Midwife-Led Unit.

For that reason I'm going to do a slightly shorter review of the first three episodes with a little pros and cons list.

PRO's

• It is so great to visit each of these women's unique story and see their choices and requests being discussed in an open and honest way with the midwife
• The midwife-mother relationship remains a strong theme in the series
• Midwives praising the continuity of carer they can experience
• Showing elective c-sections as a CHOICE for women and no shaming
• Outlines the geographical issues women have in the Highlands of Scotland

I'd love to hear people's views on the how as I have had positive feedback from friends of mine who have experienced maternity care in Scotland. Also, perhaps how this show compares to One Born Every Minute?

Tweet me @ruth_stmw

Ruth x

Here's a picture of me in the Peterhead birth room, Moonlight.

Being a third year student I am honestly constantly plagued with thoughts of impostor syndrome.
I feel as though these three years have gone so quickly and I have learnt so much but questioning my ability and practice comes daily and I believe sometimes makes me a better student midwife.

It's known that during placement in third year as a student you are seen as 'senior' and often expected to take on your own caseload and while this is exciting and often wanted by students it does sometimes cause more nerves (especially in me).

I am one of those people who requires support and praise or critique during the learning process. I am keen to learn from my own mistakes which often causes me to ask questions before I approach a task to be sure of what is being asked of me - both a positive and a negative for a midwife!

During my postnatal ward placement I was given a caseload of women requiring care from both spontaneous vaginal births, instrumental births and cesarean section births. The ward was extremely busy during this time and I benefited from seeing how my care and support to the midwives and my mentor assisted in the running of the ward. I worked well with my mentor and this allowed autonomy in my practice and a taste of working as a 'proper midwife'!

My experiences were enhanced by being able to provide continuity to a few mothers who I saw day to day and those who I knew had babies in the Neonatal unit. Again I was able to support mothers with breastfeeding which has become a special interest of mine, and encouraging mothers with babies in NNU to express and build bonds between mother and baby when baby I requiring intensive care.

By the end of my short four weeks I didn't want to move on but knew I could potentially be coming back to work on this ward when I qualify so made great relationships with all staff.

So for students concerned with taking on more autonomy and experiencing a bit of impostor syndrome I would say EMBRACE IT. Ask questions, ask to be involved in specialised care and always check in with your mentor if you need to - the most successful midwife uses her team to support her practice.

So that's my third year experiences. Just a heads up that my next post will be on early pregnancy care and loss, I will be practising confidentially and therefore it will not include personal family experiences but rather my experience as student and how miscarriage and stillbirth is viewed in society.

Until then...
Follow me on twitter  @ruth_stmw

Ruth x

Since May 2018 I have been on placement at two wonderful wards in my local Maternity hospital, the same hospital I will be working at when I qualify!

I'm currently putting together two pieces on my experiences there and especially my experience working with women who have experienced miscarriage and pregnancy loss as one of my placements was on the early pregnancy ward.

I am also looking to write an updated piece on resilience in workplace as more and more I have heard this term and 'sustainability' be used to describe self care for midwives and how clinical supervision is aiming to build these traits in midwives in Scotland.

As well, last week I attended a fantastic student-led Learning Disabilities conference at my uni, Robert Gordon University - which opened my eyes and ears to the treatment and language we use when caring for women and families who have learning difficulties.
My main interest in the conference was around the discussion we have with parents undergoing screening for Down Syndrome.

Finally - the new series of The Highland Midwife is out! So you know I will be blogging away about that. I am slightly biased this time as the unit shown at Peterhead was my last community placement and I worked with Ruth (the other Ruth) at my first year placement in Fraserburgh. For those who have seen it, believe me those ambulance transfers to Aberdeen are interesting!!

Hope everyone is well, and I'll get back to blogging now I'm on a break from placement.

Follow me on twitter: @ruth_stmw

Ruth x

Most recently I have been studying and composing an essay on the importance of leadership within the midwives' role and it made me think about how student midwives' can best develop their skills to be prepared for role model and leadership role when they become newly qualified midwives.

Leadership is difficult to define in the context of care services as you can have very definite role of leadership, be that Band 7 or Senior role, but a lot is discussed in relation to allowing women to be the leaders of their care, mentors leading their students and policy leading practice.

I think it is important to discuss the concept of empowerment alongside leadership, as many theories relate now to relationship models of women centred care, and within that the empowerment of the woman and the midwife to provide autonomous care.

With new policy being introduced in Better Births and The Best Start, caseloading opens options for midwives to become not only empowered autonomously, but also leading their own time, caseload, resources and continuous professional development.

A big part of being able to develop leadership skills, whether that be for a team, your caseload or your own practice, is understanding emotional intelligence (EI) and how it affects us in providing the bet possible care. Emotional intelligence for those unaware is the ability to examine one owns and others emotions - a key skill for a midwife. By developing this skill, we are able to develop a higher emotional capacity for the work and understanding when it comes to informed choice, empathy, adaptability, approach-ability and effective communication. All of these being aspects of the role that women note could be improved (The Best Start SG 2017).

It is true that developing the skill of EI and leadership is a struggle in the current climate of the NHS with staff shortages, burnout and increasing numbers of midwives leaving the profession. However, by cultivating these skills along with building resilience and sustainability it may be possible for midwives to facilitate positive attitudes to changes and workplace pressures. Clinical supervision in Scotland aims to address this  by supporting colleagues and facilitating empowerment of self and others.

So for a newly qualified midwife entering the profession, it important overall to maintain your passion for midwifery through empowerment of women and others, keep up with CPD, developing strategies from role models and mentors and building resilience through self care.

A great way to do this is develop your own support network of midwives and members of the multidisciplinary team. Social media is a fantastic place for this - from blogs to Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Meeting like-minded people online to discuss midwifery, life and all sorts of things can help balance out some of those tougher days. Reflecting on care can also help facilitate the transition from student to newly qualified midwife.
This is why I think the new generation of midwives have a lot more resources to pull from to support them in becoming leaders in maternity care, and are well placed to develop and adapt to change in maternity services for the better.


Ruth x
twitter: @ruth_stmw

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