Re: [ozmidwifery] Students, training and other things was Re: uterine rupture 1998

[Jen Semple]

Yes, Kirsten.  Well said.  I was wondering how longit would take a student to write!  :o)

 

Jen

Callum & Kirsten <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

Dear Abby,

 I couldn't close my mouth anymore, sorry!

 

You give a poor impression of midwifery training in Australia. Coming from NZ, it's true its not the absolute greatest, BUT i can say that the universities here DO NOT teach a medicalised model of care.

 

I am quite happy with my university and so far ALL my clinical experience has been with woman having homebirths and homebirth midwives, although in saying that, there are some wonderful midwives who i admire who also work in the public system!

 

As for the debate on VE's etc, just because we learn something does not mean we will all go out and perform them every 5 minutes! There are many skills taught to us that could be seen as unnecessary interventions,  why as Andrea Robertson in the Midwife Companion  ( love this book!) says,  talking unnecessarily to a woman in labour and distracting her can slow things down!

 

Personally i would rather be confident and competent in these skills so if i have to do them i am gentle and cause as less harm and discomfort as i can to the woman. I would hate to be ignoarant and say " i don't need these interventionalist skills" and then have to perform a VE and not be able to do it carefully and gently.

There are still many woman out there who request them, even if you don't think so.

 

Again, my philosophies on birth will not change just because i have certain skills in my knowledge base, they don't change who i am or what kind of (student) midwife i am, or how i see things.

 

Many of the skills we learn don't come from the uni itself, it's when we are on clinical placements and with our follow thru woman that we learn the most. I am forever indebited to the woman who have allowed me to be with them and to the amazing midwives who offer their advice and support. It is them all who i learn the most off, not textbooks, not the uni.

 

Cheers,

Kirsten

Darwin.

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