Harriet Glenn - Midwifery
A day in the life of a student on placement in the hospital
Placement in the hospital is great as it allows us to practice the skills that we have learnt about in lectures. In the hospital, we are assigned to a main mentor and follow their shifts, which are typically 12.5 hours long and can be day or night shifts.
Day shifts are from 07:45-20:15 and night shifts are from 19:45-20:15. The hospital is one of our favourite placements, as the long shifts provide us with lots of time to observe, learn and practice.
In the hospital, student midwives work under supervision on the antenatal and postnatal ward, triage unit, and labour ward which helps us to become well rounded, and experienced in many aspects of maternity care. Hospital placement is also a great opportunity to practice clinical skills, like monitoring vital signs, abdominal palpation, and of course, delivering babies.
As we become more competent, our mentors allow us to practice more independently and carry out more advanced skills. Our mentors provide us with feedback, which helps us to develop professionally in the time leading up to becoming midwives.