The End of my Undergraduate Midwifery Studies!

As of Thursday, I have officially finished my last day on placement as a student midwife. I still can't quite believe my undergraduate journey is over, and what a journey it has been! It's still not quite official until the 10th January when our applications get sent off to the Nursing and Midwifery Council, but everything is good to go on my end so it's now left with the university to submit the paperwork. 
I often feel guilty when people discuss how hard and long it took them to get into midwifery and whilst, I didn't find it difficult, I had my own struggle to get to the place I am now. I really do feel I have accomplished so much throughout my three years at the University of Nottingham, both at a department and faculty level, but also within the wider university. I was looking through images for our cohort celebration day a couple of weeks ago and it truly has been a action packed, incredibly busy and wildly accomplished three year whirlwind. 

I feel very ready to finish. I don't necessarily feel ready to be left alone as a newly qualified midwife but I am excited to be able to provide a full continuity of care. I'm excited to be able to get the drugs, to access the computer systems and to make decisions in care. I'm excited to get paid to work, to work set shifts and to be able to turn off at the end of a working day. Of course, I'm nervous...in fact petrified...of certain things, especially after having a couple of confidence cases go terribly wrong, but I know I'll have the support of my team, my co-ordinators and my managers. I know I have friends I can talk to and family I can trust. I also know that when things happen in practice, I will reflect and learn from my mistakes as I have continued to do throughout my course, the last few months especially. Here's to the next step in the journey. 

I am going to share all about my entire journey in the new year, but for now, I'm turning my midwifery brain off for a week and enjoying spending Christmas at home with family that I haven't been able to see for months! I know it's been a difficult time for a lot of people and I feel very lucky that everyone I know personally, has had relatively normal and remained safe. Lockdown, covid-19 rules over Christmas are at least allowing for some sense of normality. It's a difficult decision and one I don't judge anyone for making either way. 

From my perspective, I will be sharing Christmas Day with the same people as usual. Altogether, with my grandma in a bubble and myself classed as a student returning home, it will be three households and therefore remain within the rules. As a healthcare student, I have access to covid-19 testing and therefore feel safer, but also my household had positive results a couple of months ago. My mother and her brother also have worked every day together in a small office on the farm, the entire year so germs have continually been spread. On the other hand, I know people who sensibly are remaining celebrating in their household alone and if the situation was different, I would probably do the same. 

Regardless, I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! 

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