Hi, my name is Fatumo. I’m currently in my fourth year of university studying nursing and midwifery. I’m very passionate about what I do, and that’s why I decided to create my own blog where I can talk about nursing, midwifery, business as well as other interesting topics. So, if you’re interested in any of these topics, feel free to check out my blog to learn more.
Getting a place at a university for nursing-midwifery is extremely competitive. You have one-tenth of a chance of getting accepted, and the odds are most probably against you. But, don’t let that scare you away from applying. Universities have placed all these obstacles so that only the right people are accepted.
Whether you’re thinking about majoring in nursing-midwifery, or you’ve just been accepted to become a future midwife, there are things that you need to know before you take that life-changing step. Midwifery isn’t just about delivering babies, it also includes the care of the mother before, during, and after childbirth. (I’ve perviously completed a blog post about tips for succeeding in Midwifery course, check it out). So, if you’re looking to know more about what it takes to become a nursing-midwifery student, keep on reading!
There is no doubt that studying is a crucial part of the life of any college student. However, studying to become a nurse-midwife student takes that process to a whole new level. It’s mentally draining–and not to mention, incredibly stressful. You need to always be on top of your studying as it’s your number one priority as a student.
Learning to balance between your personal life and professional work life is an underrated skill that isn’t mentioned enough. Imagine that after years of being a student, you start to get burnt out day by day until you lose all the fiery passion that you once had. In order to not reach the point of burnout and lose your passion, you need to time off for your mental health to recharge your battery and continue pursuing that dream of yours. You need to recognise that it’s okay to have some me-time. If you feel like you hit a brick wall and are way too stressed to function, try talking to someone–whether that be your mentor, your professors, a counselor, or even your friends.
Building a relationship with your mentor, especially during placement, is another important aspect that will help you tremendously. Mentors have vast experience and are more knowledgeable. So, it’s important that you build a mentor-mentee relationship with your mentor and soak up any information or knowledge that they have. You should spend time with your mentor and be prepared to ask them any questions that you have. Observing your mentor while they work is also a great way to learn from them. All seek the opportunities that will help you improve and learn more. Use your free time to hone your skills and never be shy or scared of asking a fellow midwife about anything.When you’re a nursing-midwife student, there are mandatory professional practice placements that you need to take throughout the duration of your course. For example in Australia Midwifery course is 800 hours and Nursing is 800 hours, if you planning to completed both degree its 1600 hours of placement. You Need to complete the 1600 hours placement before being able to apply to become a registered nurse/Midwife with the Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency. These placements include both metropolitan and rural professional settings with shifts that vary from day to day. Additionally, you might also be called to attend placements during the holidays.
To apply for enrolment into a nursing midwifery degree, most universities have certain criteria that their applicants must have. Students studying in Australia must complete a National Police Records check, a Working with Children Check, and declare their fitness for practice and immunisation status prior to taking any placement. The Police Records Check has to be uploaded each year. As for the immunisation, students have to be vaccinated agains COVID-19, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, influenza, pertussis, tetanus, diphtheria, varicella, measles, mumps, and rubella as well as a yearly tuberculosis screening.
Students are guests in the allocated placement venues, therefore, it’s important that they follow certain rules that include wearing the appropriate professional practice attire, the expected behavior, and the responsibilities that they have to report.
Now that we have covered some of the most important things that you need to know before starting your journey, there is one more thing that has to be mentioned; being a nurse-midwife is one of the most rewarding jobs that a person can have. It’s true that life will throw challenges at you to test you; however, you need to persevere in order to achieve your goal.
This is it for today’s post! For more information about being a nursing-midwifery student, make sure to check out my blog Nursingpreneur where I document my journey. If you have any questions regarding nursing, midwifery, or business, feel free to reach out to me via messages or leave a comment below with your inquiry and I will happily get back to you.
Thank you for reading, and see you next time.
