Getting my Band 6...a Promotion at Work!

As part of my trust's preceptorship programme, you have to be signed off on a number of different competencies and work in every area of maternity. For me, that meant labour suite, community, the postnatal and the antenatal ward. This has now potentially changed for certain staff members, as Covid-19 and staff shortages have delayed them from rotating to the areas they were meant to. However, for me, I did all the rotations (and am doing so still), but I was lucky in that for a brief period of time, the wards were combined so I got a lot of my antenatal competencies signed off prior to starting the specific placement. 

Competencies included the basics, such as: epidurals, fetal scalp electrodes, antenatal appointments, day 5 visits, discharges, using the computer systems and learning specific processes for computer systems etc. You also had to have completed both the development booklet, which answered questions about certain topics for the department, and the intravenous medication booklet. The latter was the most tedious because of top of giving IV medication in the three different classes, you also had to do calculations and answer pages of questions on medicine management. 

Regardless, I completed them all and so as soon as possible booked myself an appointment to have everything signed off. Unfortunately, the midwife required to do that was on annual leave and then I was on night shifts the week after so I did have to wait a little longer than initially anticipated, but then it all went smoothly. 

Prior to the meeting, one of the other academic team members had told me to be up to date on all my training so I had a quick look and found that they had nearly all expired just a week before. I ended up spending my entire day off catching up and doing all the e-learning. I got myself to 88% compliant, but unfortunately the other parts of training are face-to-face, so I emailed my managers PA to get booked onto the study days. 

The meeting was short but thorough. The booklets and training were all quickly looked through and certain parts marked. I got to ask a few questions I had about Master studies, changes to the programme and a couple of other parts but it was quite straightforward. I got my certificate to confirm everything just a day later, then my manager signed everything off! 

I am now officially a band 6 midwife and to be honest, nothing really has changed. I do the same job as I have always done, I just get paid a little more  I’m sure when I get my pay slip next month, it will be greatly appreciated. I also love that I’m not asked to support newly qualified midwives a little more which I personally, really enjoy. Onwards and upwards.