Midwife Personal Statement

As a young child, I was always drawn towards the field of health care. I remember reading about the many options that are held within it and wondering what path it would lead me on. Neonatal nursing was something that always came into my mind, but it was often pushed to the side by people and teachers who thought I should become a pediatrician instead. This became a real struggle for me, but as I grew up and began researching and exploring the health care field I came to a decision for myself. I came to the realization that everyone was wrong. I didn’t want to be a doctor at all. This sudden burst of independence from what everyone else wanted was the first step to reaching my end goal. Along with this, an accelerated education, volunteer

Throughout personal professional development reflection is essential, allowing health care professionals to self-develop by revisiting events and analysing areas in which improvements and learning would ensure a positive impact on their future practice. The Nursing and Midwifery Council, (NMC, 2010) notes that all health care practitioners must be self-aware in their own values and principles which could affect their practice. Ensuring they maintain personal and professional development while learning through supervision, feedback and reflection.

Being a midwife does not only defined by assisting women in childbirth. The general dictionary definition are the misconception of how people view midwives. Being a midwife means to be ‘with women’ and this leads the construction of the midwifery philosophy, Page (2006) 5 steps and Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) competency standards, in order to provide the best women centred care (Australia Collage of Midwives, 2017). This essay will cover a constructive overview of what Page (2006) 5 steps of being a midwife means, it will also defined what women centred care is and emphasis on the importance it has for the woman. Understanding Page (2006) 5 steps and women centred care helped build the pathway for midwifery philosophy to correlate with NMBA competency standard in order to support midwifery practice. For

As an aspiring Neonatal Nurse Practitioner, I will graduate from UNCG with my BSN, work for a year as an RN, and eventually attend a graduate school to accomplish my ultimate goal of obtaining my DNP. As a neonatal nurse practitioner, it is imperative to exude compassion, while demonstrating critical thinking skills when faced with arduous circumstances. I understand that working with distressed families in the NICU will be a challenging task, both emotionally and physically. I am aware that it is my responsibility as a nurse to not only know how to provide physical care to my patient's, but to also attend to their emotional needs and the needs of their loved ones. Nurses are expected to be the liaison between families and doctors. So, in the

In turn, I believe that I have taught both the patients and the staff that there?s more to young people than just hormones and we are capable of feeling compassion and empathy. Numerous patients have told me how nice it is to see today?s youth so eager to please and willing to give back to the community. Perhaps the knowledge of this fact instills hope within each patient and helps them find their voice.

I believe as a Midwifery Student at Australian Catholic University (ACU) that childbirth is a natural life process. Within my philosophy, my aim is to provide a women-centred care based on evidence- based practice. Also the importance of supporting women with cultural variation, social circumstance and understanding other specific needs throughout the woman’s pregnancy. The women-centred care is an essential quality to a midwife as it ensure that the women is educated in healthy lifestyle choices within pregnancy, childbirth and during parenthood. This relationship of “women-centred care” is the key to midwifery practices as Australian College of Midwives (2009) refers to the philosophy of maternity care that promotes a holistic approach by recognising each women’s social, emotional, physical, spiritual and cultural needs. In retrospect, it is important to reflect on your past experiences during your midwifery practice but also your life beyond midwifery.

Nursing has always been in my life since the day I was born… literally. My Aunt, a labor and delivery nurse, was the one who basically helped my mother deliver me. The fact that my Aunt was lucky enough to be the one that was there for people on those special days fascinated me. As long as could remember I knew I wanted to do that and be the one to help and comfort so many through their highs and lows.

As my days at East Ridge High School are coming to an end I, as well as many of my peers, have come to a very important fork in the road to our future- Where do I go next? When I ask myself this I have to answer with another question, Where can I attend school that will allow me to further my education and fulfill my dreams while simultaneously maintaining the consistent love and support of my family as well as remaining financially responsible? For me, there is only one answer- Chattanooga State College

At the start of the health and social care course I knew that I wanted a career working within the health or social care sector. From working with local authorities (such as schools, elderly care home) I have learned how to communicate effectively with different service users. Professionally I have learned the importance of guidelines within a health and social care sector. I know and understand the relevant that I am able to promote later within my career with working with service users.

On my journey of becoming a registered midwife, I firstly gained experience working in the NHS as a volunteer on the postnatal ward at the Royal Free Hospital. This post has not only given me an excellent insight into the work of a clinical midwife, but helped me to enhance my communication skills and build my confidence in working in a hospital environment. The continuous training opportunities and the supportive staff has made me more confident that working as a part of the NHS team is the right career choice for me.

Pursuing a career in nursing brings me an internal satisfaction beyond words. I enjoy being around people and I feel with my caring and empathetic soul, I can use that to heal the mind, body and souls of my patients. My reason for wanting to return to college comes from my desire to be in a position to make an impact on someone’s life. In my current position I provide assistance to individuals on a daily basis, but it is not satisfying my need to help heal. I am currently 30 years old and I love children and I am eager to work with children and when I would like to know about their little bodies so that I can be aware of how to help them. I naturally have the need to nurture and protect others. I have 2 nieces and when each of them was born I was so impressed by the level of care that the NICU nurses provided to

In the corner of the small hospital room stood a shy little girl. “You shouldn't be in here, honey”, my mother said as she nudged me out of the room where my grandfather lay dying. At the time, I couldn't understand the enormity of the situation. Ignorant to what was happening around me, my innocent mind fled with curiosity. The beeping of the machines and the soft quick steps of nurses captivated my attention. I was fascinated with this strange new world. This is the moment that sparked my desire to become someone great; a nurse.

first watched, "The Business of Being Born" when it came out in 2008.  It was prior to having children and I had just accepted my position as a Nurse Manager the year prior in Obstetrics in a Rural, Level 1 Facility.  (Being Level 1 in Obstetrics means that we only care for low risk mothers and babies that are at least 35 weeks gestation.)  I find it very interesting how my perspective has changed in the 9 years since its release.  Although I am still pro, low-intervention birth, I feel like the enthusiasm I once had for natural birth with limited intervention has been hijacked by an increase in anxiety d/t the fear of medical liability.  A couple of bad home-birth outcomes can do that to you.  On the flip side, and to be fair, we don’t see all of the perfectly healthy and safe home-birth deliveries; because if everything went well, there would be no need to come to the hospital.

According to the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNMb) (2015), home births account for 1.4% of all births in the U.S. In eight years the number of home births in the US increased by 41% (ACNM, 2015b). Providing home births falls within the scope of practice of midwives and is supported by the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM, 2015b). A mother can have the option of a home birth as long as the home birth follows regulations set in place by the state and can provide a favorable safe environment for both mother and newborn (ACNM, 2015b). Both the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) state that the ultimate decision of having a home birth is a patient’s right, especially if she is medically well informed (Declercq, & Stotland, 2016).

Two years ago, I was introduced to midwifery when my brother and his girlfriend were considering options for the impending birth of my nephew. Since that time, everything I’ve pursued and studied has helped bring me a step closer to becoming a midwife myself. I find pregnancy, childbirth, and babies to be the most fascinating things in the world. I spend heaps of time independently researching different aspects of childbirth. Last year, I wrote a research paper on the differences between home births and hospital births, and I’m currently working on a podcast about home births and the role midwives play. There's so much knowledge out there that I was oblivious to; once I figured out that pregnancy, birth, and even postpartum care need not be