When going to work is a labour of love
The Oban Times is running a series of articles championing the work carried out by Argyll and Bute Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) in the Oban, Lorn and the Isles locality. Each article features a specific service provided by the HSCP and focuses on the staff who provide that service and the role they play in making a positive difference for the people living in Oban and surrounding areas. This week we look at the work of student midwife Kirsty Smith.
KIRSTY SMITH from Oban is currently on placement with Argyll and Bute Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) in Lorn and Islands Hospital.
The midwives in Oban warmly welcomed Kirsty on her first student placement. Kirsty has another two years before she will be qualified.
Over the full duration of the placement, students cover practical skills such as breastfeeding support, blood pressure checks, listening to the foetal heart, blood tests, clinical documentation, caring for woman during labour, vaginal examinations, facilitating birth, newborn care and abdomen examinations.
Kirsty said: ‘Becoming a student midwife has been one of the best decisions I have ever made and the satisfaction you get from helping people is the best feeling ever.
‘I am in my second week at the hospital. It’s great to observe and learn skills from the rural midwives, some of which you just can’t learn from studying.
‘It is also really good to get the opportunity to be placed in a low-risk rural birthing unit and to learn about the basics. This will be beneficial to assessing the difference between lowand high-risk patients.
‘I am also enjoying the antenatal clinic. Depending on gestation this can involve women coming in throughout their pregnancies for a general checkup such as observation of blood pressure, urine testing, checking the fundal height, maternal pulse, abdominal palpation and listening to the foetal heart.
‘If I am totally honest, the labour ward is definitely going to be for me. I am really looking forward to observing a birth and sharing the joy with families and their new arrivals.’
At university, Kirsty will be taught what she need to know to be a midwife. She also has an assigned mentor in clinical practice to support and encourage as many possible opportunities to learn. She will cover theory and be taught practical skills.
Kirsty attends lectures and classes, and placements will include hospital wards, community midwifery, neonatal unit, theatre and antenatal clinics. Kirsty’s day will always start with a handover, which sees all the midwives meeting together so they all know what is happening on the ward and community in case anyone needs help, and so they are all prepared for expected events throughout their shift.
Kirsty continued: ‘I am enjoying a variety of hands-on experience and real-life hospital and community situations such as 12-week check-ups, 22-week growth checks, scans and screening.
‘The working environment and care being delivered by the rural midwives is more one-to-one care, and the rural midwives have more opportunity to build stronger patient rapport.
‘I like the fact that women can expect to see the same midwife throughout their antenatal care, which is not really possible in busy city hospitals.’
Kirsty started studying in September 2017 at the University of the West of Scotland. Nursing and midwifery includes a variety of course work, including real-life ward, clinical and community placements.
On placement, student midwives learn the responsibility of their role and are introduced to health and social care clinical practices in hospital and community settings.
Days can be very varied, from dealing with deviation from normal and more complicated procedures to labour and birth. This includes working closely with other staff, such as Allied Health Professionals. The students also learn communication and clinical documentation skills which are equally important when delivering person-centred care.
During her course, Kirsty will go on to learn about genetics, pregnancy related conditions, treatment, medicine management, drug calculations, anatomy and professional, legal codes of conduct. She will also enhance her skills to learn how to risk assess, prioritise care and manage complications that may occur.
At the point of qualifying she will be entered onto a professional register and be able to demonstrate leadership.
Kirsty is originally from Oban and lives locally. She was excited about being able to get her placement in her own home town, as it was an excellent opportunity to leave city life and her campus to enjoy local amenities and the rural life in Oban she enjoys.