It is of continued concern the pressure student midwives are under across the UK, trying to make ends meet while fulfilling all the course requirements. Midwifery societies have a role in providing peer support. Mira Waligora, part 3 MSc Midwifery Student, University of the West of Scotland shares how their society has been making a difference.
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It is no secret that student midwives in Scotland are currently facing a variety of challenges; from money worries, detailed in the recent student midwives finance report, through to feeling the brunt of staffing issues while out on clinical placement which impacts their learning, to the possibility of having to relocate in order to secure a job at the end of their training due to a lack of opportunities closer to home. Wherever they are studying, student midwives take on an intense marathon of theory and placement on top of existing life commitments with the aim of joining the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) register as qualified midwives.
From day one of placement student midwives are expected to abide by the professional standards of the NMC. They are expected to work shifts, including night shifts, weekends and unsocial hours. This rhythm of life impacts on their ability to be present for other parts of their life, their families and friends. An even bigger burden is carried by those with caring responsibilities, not to mention part time work which is undertaken by well over half-69% of student midwives in Scotland (unpublished information by the Scotland Student Midwife Forum for the Student Midwife Finance Report)- and for many is a necessity. The high percentage of time spent out on clinical placements is necessary for student midwives to absorb the multitude of skills necessary for independent practice. This also exposes them to the struggles of working in a large organisation with staffing, equipment and leadership issues. Well-staffed midwifery services are often reported as a necessity for the improvement of the service and research is being carried out into the role of retention. Student midwives are the future of the midwifery workforce thus both higher education institutions and health boards need to invest in the retention of student midwives from day one.
Students who undertook their studies in 2020 are now finishing their first year of newly qualified practice. The Royal College of Midwives submitted evidence to the Parliament in September 2020 on the impact, already then, of the COVID19 pandemic on the mental health of maternity workers, including student midwives. At the time 97% of midwifery students felt the pandemic had negatively impacted on their mental health. Add to this the compounding years of practice in a climate where midwives experience symptoms of anxiety and depression at higher rates than the general population, and an argument forms that, in the interest of a healthy maternity workforce there is a moral duty on behalf of universities and the NHS to protect the mental health of students to ensure they are fit for the workforce at point of registration.
Unlike elsewhere in Europe, the programmes in Scotland don’t benefit from small class cohorts which facilitate student engagement and cooperation, and nurture a mutual passion for midwifery, thus improving their study experience. Wherever it comes from, peer support is a key factor in student midwives’ achievement and successful completion of their programme of study. It is often said that no one quite understands what you’re going through like another student midwife. Student midwife societies are one of the groups that play an important role in helping increase student engagement and nurture a future workforce community.
A midwifery society gives students opportunities over and above what’s available through the theory programme. I have been the vice president of the UWS student midwife society for the past two years and have watched the society go from strength to strength, while being shortlisted for the NUS Society of the Year 2024 and winning the UWS Society of the Year 2024 and 2023 and the Scotland 2023 Maternity and Midwifery Festival Student Midwife Trailblazer Award. More importantly, I have watched a group of passionate students build a blueprint for a system of governance, events, fundraising and cooperation that works and can be passed down the cohorts, while doing it with unbridled enthusiasm supporting each other’s ideas and encouraging each other to make things happen.
The UWS Midwifery Society Podcast The Days in Greys (which you can listen to here) has been taken over by Part 1 student Hayleigh who, on top of starting the midwifery degree, has familiarised herself with new recording and editing programmes, and recorded, edited and published 3 episodes. On top of this Hayleigh together with part 1 colleague Keely have planned and run what is now an annual event – the UWS Midwifery Society Applicant Evening. This is an event organised by students for prospective students in a relaxed and informal environment. Hayleigh and Keely, alongside president of the society Eilidh, presented their experience while truly being able to say “we know what you feel! We were just there!”.
As a society this year we want to enhance the support students feel across the cohorts, working where possible with the academic staff and promoting services already available throughout the university, such as access to counselling sessions. The support received from fellow students on the programme is invaluable in creating a safe space for students to grow and develop, to ask questions, to approach both theory and clinical practice with confidence knowing that they have support from peers. Since the start of this academic year, we have run networking events for the first-year students, as well as a pre-placement chats for part 2nd year student midwives to discuss the difference in expectations in going out on placement as a 2nd year student midwife. But the most important cooperation must be that of supporting part 1 student midwife Chloe, who got in touch with the society with the idea of running an event for baby loss awareness week. We offered Chloe the support she needed, and the event saw a memory tree and stand with information and fundraised a total of £620 for the Scottish charity Simba.
As a current 3rd year student, I am in awe of all that the 1st and 2nd year student midwives are doing and the opportunities that being part of the society or reaching out to the society for support can provide. All student led groups from class group projects, class reps and grad ball committees, to student societies give students an opportunity to model communication and cooperation. I know that personally being part of the midwifery society has given me the opportunities to grow my skills and confidence, from organising and running events to writing successful funding applications. Most importantly I have made lasting connections with students from across the cohorts who will be my colleagues as I hopefully enter the workforce at the end of my training.
Further resources:
The Royal College of Midwives support for societies and how to set one up.
Mira Waligora, part 3 MSc Midwifery Student at the University of the West of Scotland
November 2024