Student Midwife taking appointment

[housewifey]

Throughout this whole pregnancy I’ve had a student midwife present at every midwife appointment (UK). I don’t actually mind this as they obviously have to start somewhere so I’m happy for them to measure me, take BP, ask me questions, find baby’s heartbeat etc.

At my most recent appointment though, my midwife wasn’t present at all and the student took my whole appointment by herself. I found this difficult tbh and it put me in a weird position as there wasn’t much choice in the matter. I had some things to discuss with my midwife that we’re difficult to just open up to a stranger about (vulva varicosities) and I just would have like some reassurance from my midwife that the measurements etc that the student was taking were accurate considering I’m only 5 weeks from due date.

Has anyone had this happen? Are students even allowed to take appointments by themselves before being qualified?

 

[topazicatzbet]

As a nurse mentor I would never leave a student on their own. If she was in her final year then they will need to take the lead at appointment but the midwife should be there to back her up. Was she around and just not in the room.

 

[dinidani]

Tecnically there not ment to as they are still training unless they are gaining a higher grade for example going from level 2 to a level 3 midwifery certificate then she is allowed to i am in the uk and my pregnancy is a case load and will have the trainee at my birth as she is so close to completing her qualification that mine is her last case and baby she has to do she basicly booked me in by her self etc but my midwive was in the room everynow and then we get a different trainee step in and when they measure they are measuring extremly bigger so my midwive tried and she believed the size you should have just asked your trainee as she would have covered and will need to cover it so if she wasnt sure she would have phoned the head of the area im seeing my midwive tomorrow and i refuse to be seen by any of the other midwives (you dont know what circumstance to the reason your midwive wasnt present) there could have been a birth she couldnt avoid or family emergency or tbh a medical emegancy xx

 

[housewifey]

I should have put that in my original post, the student explained that she would be taking my appointment, that she was in her final year so nearly qualified (her words not mine) and that my midwife was upstairs so she would phone her if there was anything she wasn’t sure about. She did phone her at the end of my appointment as she wasn’t sure how to advise me on the vulva varicosities and my midwife came straight down so there appeared to be no urgent reason why my midwife couldn’t be present alongside the student.

 

[topazicatzbet]

I wouldn't worry too much then. Her mentor obviously thought she was capable. I can only speak as a nurse but we let students take their own bay of patients as they need to be able to time manage and this one seems sensible enough to get help when she needed it.

 

[Sander]

Hm, well it seems she was capable of doing the appointment on her own but it’s your decision whether you want students there - remember that you hired your midwife not the other way around. If you don’t want it to happen again just call your midwife and explain you don’t feel comfortable with it, and don’t feel bad! Midwifery clinics usually have tons of clients and the student can practice on someone else.

 

[flowergirl7]

We have students that come in for the appointments with my midwife and they always ask me if that’s ok. I always say yes, but if there’s something that I need to discuss or ask my midwife I tell them i need to see her as well. She always come in a few minutes after the student starts anyways. I don’t care if they’re qualified I see a specific midwife for a reason. I don’t like being passed around like a hot potato. Especially in these later weeks.

 

[Whatme]

I’ve had a student take an entire app before, she was more than capable, my midwife came in at the end, and the student actually told her some new advice that my trust had just issued..

 

[housewifey]

I’m sure she was perfectly capable but I’m having some issues with my midwife so I guess I’m just struggling to trust her judgement on anything now. Can’t wait for my time with her to be over so I don’t have to deal with her anymore. The midwife I had with my first daughter was lovely and I always left appointments feeling understood and listened to with all my questions answered. This one just makes me feel deflated but o well.

 

[doggylover]

I had a student midwife (also a final year) take my whole first appointment, so all medical history etc. Then she went out to check a few things with other midwives (I requested a c section this time so she needed to check what the next steps were) but she was great. In a few months that student will be a “real” midwife anyway, and won’t know significantly more than she does now, so I don’t have an issue with it.