Getting

Into

Midwifery

2015

(A brief guide into Midwifery, more detailed information can be found on the professions website, talking to professionals and relevant work experience. Some of the information re degree course is based on UWE requirements)

Midwifery

Midwives can work in the community, in hospitals

or both. Their role goes much further than delivering

babies; theyre involved in antenatal and postnatal care,

in counselling, in offering support and education, and in helping mothers and their partners prepare for parenthood.

Every delivery is a major event in the lives of the people involved. Midwives have the lead professional role in preparing for and managing the event, intervening when necessary and knowing what to do if the mother or baby is sick. They are accountable practitioners and must ensure that care offered meets the standard of safety required.

You will be providing client centred care to a huge variety of women, during some of the most emotionally intense periods in their lives. You will have to stay calm and alert in times of stress, and enable women to feel confident and in control. On the rare occasions where something goes wrong, you have to be ready to react quickly and effectively.

Many mothers will need advice and support. Aside from the practical caring skills, you also have to be aware of the social and cultural context in which childbirth takes place.

As a qualified midwife you will usually be expected to rotate within a hospital. An example of a working pattern would be 6-9 months on a delivery suite, 6-9 months on a postnatal ward and 6-9 months on an antenatal ward. After a few years of rotation post qualification you would be eligible to apply for a community post.

Before a birth, your work would typically include:

Giving pregnant women advice on issues such as healthy eating

Explaining options such as giving birth in hospital or at home, natural childbirth and types of pain relief

Running classes about pregnancy (antenatal) and parenting

Checking the health of the mother and baby during pregnancy

During labour, you would:

Check how labour is progressing

Monitor the baby during labour and birth

Give pain relief or advise ways to manage pain

Deliver the baby

Call a doctor if you notice any medical problems

Once the baby is born, you work could include giving advice to families or feeding, bathing, and generally caring for the baby. As a midwife in the community, you would in the first month visit peoples homes to check on the health of mother and baby

Work Experience and Skills

As placements play such a big part in the training you will need to show that you have gained some relevant work experience and understand the realities of the job.

It can be difficult to get direct work experience within a maternity unit but any health care or related experience will be welcome.

You can also try the following types of organisations for work experience:

Residential Care/Nursing Homes

General Hospital Wards

Nurseries/Schools

Work with adults or children with learning difficulties

Other voluntary work

Work experience within schools and nurseries will be valued as long as you have some experience of caring for adults as well. You will need to show your understanding that midwifery is mainly about supporting women rather than working with babies.

It is advisable to keep a journal whilst doing any work experience which you can reflect on when writing your personal statement.

Non-academic requirements/other skills that you will need:

Ability to work under pressure

Strong communication and interpersonal skills

Good team working skills

Ability to be open minded and non-judgemental

Excellent organisation and time management skills

Empathy and sensitivity for when dealing with difficult or emotional situations

Enjoyment of practical work and problem solving

Disclosure of Criminal Background - the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 does not apply and all convictions, including those which are spent, must be disclosed. This is in accordance with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975. Applicants who are offered a place must undergo a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and will be required to complete a Disclosure Application Form. All information will be treated in confidence and only taken into account when absolutely necessary.

What Are Admission Tutors Looking For?

Evidence of a strong academic background

A clear passions for the subject and why you are choosing the profession

Good understanding/insight into the profession you are applying for

Evidence of vocational commitment, this includes visiting the department, and talking to clinician and staff about what the job involves. Although it can be difficult to visit some departments it is still important to try.

Excellent communication skills

Strong in biology

Relevant life and work experience

Good transferable skills what skills and abilities you can offer?

Good general health

Need to demonstrate care and compassion

Need to be able to think outside the box

What have you done to make you a suitable applicant for the course

Midwifery Selection Process (UWE)

Each health related profession will have additional criteria as part of their selection process.

The first part of the selection process is the Personal Statement. This is the first opportunity the Admissions Dept. has to know about you, so it is very important to have a strong personal statement. The second stage is the selection event.

Selection Event - shortlisted applicants will be invited to a selection event where they will undertake a literacy and numeracy test, group and individual activities. The group activity will include participation within a short group presentation. The individual activity will follow the group activity. Your performance will be assessed during all activities, by a team of assessors. Successful applicants will be offered a place. Offers will include confirmation of the placement zone you have been allocated.

It is important to talk to midwives and read relevant journals

What will make my application stand out?

Life and relevant work experience is very important, albeit not always in the related field. Also important is that you show PASSION, MOTIVATION and COMMITMENT.

On the first round of selection, only really exceptional students will get through.

Midwifery Degree (BSc Hons) UWE

You will need to take a recognised degree in midwifery. Entry criteria is set by individual universities, as required by the Nursing and Midwifery council (NMC), to ensure that applicants provide evidence of meeting minimum entry requirements, especially in literacy and numeracy.

Typical offers

At least GCSE: 5 subjects at grade C or above including English Language, Maths and Science.

Tariff points range 200-340 including 80 in a Science/Social Science. This can be from A levels or a relevant BTEC Ext Diploma or Access course.

UWE requirements for Access to HE Diploma; to include 15 L3 credits at Distinction in a science or social science subject and 15 L3 credits at merit at another subject; achievement of L2 credits giving GCSE equivalence (where appropriate) in English Language, maths and science. UWE will not accept functional skills.

SGS College Access Courses

Please note that for all potential Access students will need at least 3 months relevant work experience and will also need to have achieved or be working towards GCSE grade C in both English and Maths.

Modules in the degree course (Based on UWE)

You will undertake a variety of modules throughout the course which are likely to include the following:

Year 1: Low Risk Midwifery, Biology, Gynaecology and Reproduction. Psychology, Sociology and Clinical Skills

Year 2: High Risk Midwifery, medical Disorders, Research and an optional unit which may include subjects such as Complementary Therapies, Parent Education and Infant Feeding

Year 3: Management, Inter-professional working (taking lectures and discussing issues with students studying other medical courses, to include physiotherapy, occupational therapy and nursing), Health Promotion, Dissertation module

Assessments

Assessments will take a variety of forms throughout the course to include exams, essays, assignments, presentations and clinical OSCEs.

In your final year you will be asked to write a 10,000 word dissertation around a topic that you have felt passionate about during the three year training.

Placements

Clinical placements are an integral part of midwifery training.

Usually you will be expected to work a full five shifts a week on your placement.

This will make up the majority of time during the degree but there will be some block weeks spent at university where new modules will be introduced.

You will then have assignments to complete in your own time whilst also out on placement so good time management skills are essential.

On each placement you will be allocated a mentor and you will follow their work patterns. This means that you will need to be flexible and willing to work weekends and shifts.

Your mentor will be there to support you and your learning needs. They will also assess you and rate you as a competent in an array of areas which will need to be passed in order to complete the course.

Your placement settings will include:

Community placements in GP surgeries and clinics

Gynae wards and theatres

Delivery suite

Antenatal and Postnatal wards

Day Assessment Units

NB: Be prepared that you may have to travel to get to at least some of your placements.

Questions to consider when going for interview/deciding midwifery is right for you:

Are you happy to work unsocial hours on an ongoing basis?

How do you cope with stress?

Why do you want to be a Midwife?

How do you feel being responsible for two lives?

What skills from previous experience can you bring to midwifery?

What clinical skills do you think midwives need?

How do you feel about the practical side of the job?

What do you see the midwives day to day role as?

Do you enjoy working in a fast paced environment?

What personal attributes have you got that make this the right career for you?

Funding for midwifery training

Universities have a number of NHS funded places for degree level students. If you are offered one of these places, then your tuition fee will be paid for you.

Midwifery attracts a non-repayable bursary to cover living expenses.

However, an NHS bursary is subject to a full income assessment and will depend on your income or your household income based on your partner/parent/s or partner of parent with whom you live.

Full time students can apply for:

A bursary from the NHS

A grant from the NHS

A Maintenance Loan from Student Finance England

The grant and maintenance loan are independent of your household income.

For further details check NHS Bursaries http://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/students

How to Apply

Applications should be made through Universities and Colleges Admission Service (UCAS) www.ucas.com. Prospectuses are available directly from universities or by visiting the universities on-line.

When you make an application to university, not only are your academic qualifications important, but your reason for applying. As part of the process you will need to write a personal statement, which is about one side of A4. Your personal statement is the first time an Admission Tutor will see your application, so your application will need to stand out.

Income

Midwives start at21,692 in the NHS. As an experienced midwife this can rise to around 34,500 year. Team managers and higher level midwives can earn between 31,000 and 41,000 a year and midwife consultants can earn up to 67,800 a year.

Extra allowances can be earned for additional responsibilities, length of service, and geographical location.

For more information on midwifery in general and when preparing for interview visit the following sites:

www.nhscareers.nhs.uk

www.nmc-uk.org/

www.rcm.org.uk/

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