Midwifery Work Experience at Derriford Hospital
One of our amazing students, Libby, recently had the incredible opportunity to explore the field of midwifery at Derriford Hospital, part of the University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust. Read her blog below:
“I was so excited to get the opportunity to work on a midwifery ward for the day. Shadowing Midwife Jess on the Argyll ward, which cares for antenatal and postnatal patients, I gained invaluable insights into the daily responsibilities and tasks of midwives. Jess was great at explaining her actions and the reasoning behind them, providing me with a thorough understanding of midwifery practice.
During my 8-hour shift from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, I observed a wide range of activities that midwives perform daily. I witnessed the administration of Oramorph three times, observed a heel prick test and even had the chance to assist by warming a baby's foot. Additionally, I sat in on discharge chats with two mothers, learning about the crucial information shared during those conversations.
One of the highlights of my experience was listening to a foetal heartbeat and feeling a baby move inside the mum’s stomach. One of the midwives, Sarah, also took the time to explain a CTG (cardiotocography) reading and explained to me what the different lines meant and what they indicated.
I wanted to thank all the midwives that I worked with during the day for their warm welcome and thorough explanations of their job roles. I especially wanted to thank Jess for taking time to explain to me what she was doing and why. She ensured I understood the reasoning behind her actions and how she was doing things, such as calculating the dosage of Oramorph.
I would love to be able to experience this all again. It has deepened my desire to pursue a career in midwifery even more than before!”