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FAO star11-midwifery

Thought i'd start a new topic as you seemed to have an interest in becoming a midwife! The simple answer to your Q is 'no', you don't have to be a nurse first before being a midwife. I didn't do my nurse training and so completed a 3yr 'direct entry' (ie not nurse qualified first) course to qualify as a midwife. It is a full time course (1day a week theory lessons and 3days a week practical placements in hospital or the community, with about 8weeks holiday split over each year), giving you a BSc Hons degree upon completing. You don't have to pay uni fees and can apply for a bursary/funding. I did my training 8yrs ago but i got ??3000 a yr back then. It is hard work, and i had no children then, but if you really want to do it-go for it! If you haven't completed any other higher education course (eg A levels or degree) then you can do an 'Access' course, 1yr full time or 2yrs part time, to give you the qualifications to enter your midwifery degree. It's abig commitment but we don't do it for the money-lol! Any more Q's just ask x

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  • Would it be hard to work it around a child? And do you know how/ how long to become a health visitor? ( i know everyone hates them but i think i would enjoy the job, considered midwifery but dont think i have a strong enough stomach to watch so many births etc) or are there other similar jobs that are less gory? I would like to go into that area of work...but not sure what exactly i want to do...) x
  • Also, I'm starting a nursing degree in Sept (hopefully!!), and I was just wondering if you knew if you can go into midwifery and health visiting with a nursing degree? xx
  • Hi thanks for your reply!!! i currently work as a housing manager...yawn yawn actually can be very interesting but they put e through my 3 year foundation degree at university so i have that!!!
    i love the thought of doing it but im not sure about working shifts... never had to and god knows what id do bout childcare etc... how do others manage it? also 3 years training is obviously needed but thats a long time with no wages.... mmm im liking thought of being hv, id love to be one of the NICE ones!!!! how would you do that and what do you need to be trained in???
    sorry all these questions!
    xx
  • Oh Charlotte just googled how to be a health visitor- you have to be a qualified nurse or midwife with 2 years experience.
    How do some of them get there!!
  • WHAT?????? is that a joke?????!!!!! no way!!!!

    sorry just in shock my hv is totally crap!!!
    xx
  • You guys seem to have done your homework! shocking about HV's i know but in theory they do need to kow a lot of info-it just seems to get lost finding it's way to us mums!! I think midwifery training with a young LO would be hard but very possible with the help and support of good friends, family and partners. You would have to consider the fact that you would be expected to work shifts so childcare can be difficult. I'm proud to be a midwife and it's a great profession but the NHS is CRAP to work for! But we do it for the love??!! Good luck mummynicola with your nursing-as kerryg pointed out you can do both midwifery and HV after your nursing, it's another 18mnths on top of your 3yrs of nursing. P.S just thought you may like to know i'm writing this on a night shift at work-wish i was at home with my lo but she'll be tucked up snug in bed!!
  • i agree with mummaJ - i love being a midwife, but the NHS really is going under! the changes i have seen over the last 17yrs (just had to work that out & now cant believe how old i am!! argh!) are unbelievable!
    if any of you are seriously interested in training as a nurse or midwife, i suggest you get on with it quickly, as we need more of you!!!! i do also worry what will happen with funding with the way so many trusts (including mine!!!) are financially in the red!

    as for training with kids - i cant comment from experience - i was already a nurse and midwife before a mum, but i did do my degree part time being preg twice, then with new babies. it wasnt easy with work, study, kids but i made it! you really need a good support network - & a bit of money saved up!!!

    mummynicola - congrats on starting your nursing in sept - just to warn you, and maybe mummaJ knows more in her area - there is talk of pulling the plug on the midwifery training post nurse qualification. this could be just around the Manchester area or even just talk full stop, but i know of some student nurses who are quite worried they will have to go back to the bursary (no idea how much this is, sorry) after they are qualified nurses, and train for the full 3 years over again! is it worth you applying direct to the Midwifery course? (almost sure nowhere does HV direct). also in Mcr area, the HV training is only 9-10 months full time but a degree course and i have heard very intense.

    mummaJ - also worked night shift last night so sympathise with you totally - i managed about 3 1/2hrs sleep this morning, interrupted by my usual 11am wee stop!! fortunately had a gorgeous delivery of a 6th baby, who's parents were so chuffed, you'd have thought he was the first!! - now i remember why i do it.....!!!!
  • No, not sure whether I want to do midwifery yet or not, it's actually children's nursing which I'm hoping to start in sept, got my interview nxt weds. Just trying to keep my options open! xx
  • oh yes - i think i remember you having a post on what to prepare yourself with! good luck next wed
    xxxxx
  • I think i might be interested in nursing or midwifrey. I am starting my access course in September but cant decide what i want to do. I have two kids so it will be hard! Any tips? or advice that will help me decide what i want to do? xx
  • remember that nursing encompasses all areas - womens, mens, sugery, medicine, elderly, ICU, A&E etc. if you can, whilst on your access course (apologies cos i'n not sure how these work nowadays), see if you can do shifts on various wards, or get a job as a health care assistant - either agency or bank. due to the different wards you could be sent to, you may get an insight to what you would do on each ward, then decide what you think suits you.
    when i did my general nursing, i found i loved surgery, A&E etc - i found medicine monotonous (not that ia ma saying everyone will!). i did get a job in theatre when i qualified (no job scenario - take what you can!!) which i hated with a passion (to be fair i think i got with an odd bunch of staff!). i was only there 6 days before i got a job on gynae (early preg, female bit surgery!) and absolutely loved it!!
    however, i always knew i wanted to do midwifery, but at the time (long time ago!!) there was no direct entry MW courses locally.
    was a staff nurse for one year before midwifery training and have never looked back!!
    i get the drama (not always welcome i can assure you!!), theatre - scrubbing etc, the excitement of women having their babes, but - as you can tell!!! - i love talking to people, and doing everything i can to help (cheesy too!!)
    if you want to know anything else, let me know.........

    [Modified by: ollier2001 on June 04, 2008 07:34 PM]
  • You're right ollier2001-they are no longer training nurses to be midwives at my hospital, mainly because they have to pay them through their training and unfortunately the retention of nurses in midwifery is poor, so ultimately the trust loses money training them. It's agreat shame. I've also noticed that getting a job once qualified is getting more difficult because although the country is desperately short on midwives the funding just isn't there to give people jobs. Sorry-don't mean to sound all doom and gloom, it's fab job and i love that adrenalin rush you get from bringing a new life into the world and really making a difference every day at work. I just think that people don't always know what they're getting themselves into when they train and can soon become disillusioned (i have seriously considered going to work at Monkey world!!). Oh well, off on another night shift tonight...lets see what's in store xx
  • crikey! what is Monkey World?!!
    we have also had the prob of girls qualifying, yet not starting in post as much as 6 months later! the government are well & truly letting everyone down - girls who have qualified and women using maternity services!! muppets!!
    have a nice shift, mummaJ!
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