Nursing/Midwifery students (or wannabes LOL)....

[meg_bellamy]

Hi! My name's Stacey and I'm a 1st yr midwifery student at Flinders Uni in SA. Still feeling very overwhelmed but everyone in my course is so passionate and we have a lot of fun together. I certainly feel like midwifery is my 'calling'!

[monstermunch]

Hi StaceyStudent, I'm also studying Mid at Flinders. Are you doing it over three years? I'm an RN so I am doing the shortened degree externally, although I am going to be doing it over 2.5 years as I'm doing just the bear minimum this year as I'm doing my Grad Nurse Program and moving house etc so I have enough on my plate as it is. I'm finding it weird studying with Flinders after being with UniSa for so long, I'm finding the anatomy course very strange, no lecture notes just me and my text book. I feel as though I'm not learning anything at the moment as I'm just trying to look through the book to fill in the blanks for the study guide questions, starting to panic a bit as exams are just around the corner! it would be great to keep in touch to encourage each other when we are feeling overwhelmed. Anyway good luck with course, enjoy every moment of being a student as time will fly by!

[meg_bellamy]

Hi monstermunch! Yeah, I'm doing the 3 yr course internally, it's all still very new to me! I absolutely HATE the anatomy and chemistry part of the course, I'm so hopeless at it. I know I need a background knowledge of it but still.... I hate it! We get lecture notes. Do you get access to streaming of lectures on FLO? That would be stressful doing it externally. I would have thought you'd have all the anatomy knowledge from being an RN already? Are you finding your midwifery subjects interesting? I love the midwifery stuff as opposed to the anatomy stuff! Don't worry, I think most of the girls in the course are freaking out about the anatomy exam! We're going to have to get together for a big study group I think! Do you have the anatomy book with the CD's, as they're a great help. Let me know how you're going!
Stacey xx
PS have you found any follow-throughs yet? I think that's the hardest part of the course, I've only got one so far! Her baby's due in 3 wks, I'm praying she remembers to call me as that will be my first live birth!

[monstermunch]

I'm only studying the anatomy course this semester as I have a lot on what with work and moving house etc. I don't start doing any of the follow throughs until next year. The only text book I have for the anatomy course is the one written by Blackburn I think her name is, Maternal, foetal and noenatal anatomy. I don't have access to any of the lecture notes, do you have them on PDF, if so would you be able to email them to me ( I know, very cheeky ). The anatomy that I covered through studying nursing was only based on the adult so most of the course is all new to me unfortunately.
Good luck with your follow through. I'm a bit worried about that aspect of the course to be honest, it must be very hard going up to complete strangers and asking them if you can go to their birth etc.

[meg_bellamy]

Oh, ok. We're doing adult anatomy as we're all direct-entry with no assumed biology knowledge, so we have the Martini textbook. I think we're doing maternal anatomy next semester. I have alot of lecture notes but they're all adult anatomy, probably not of much use to you! Have you tried contacting the Uni for more support? My course co-ordinators are Jen Byrne and Linda Sweet, they are really nice, you may have heard of them? I'm sure the tutors at Flinders will try and help you if you feel you aren't getting enough support. Hopefully! I know how stressful and overwhelming Uni is, so please don't feel like you are alone. Yes, "recruiting" follow-throughs are daunting, I'm a shy person so am feeling very overwhelmed with it all. I guess we just have to use the support networks available to us- the uni co-ordinator's don't want us to fail after all, they are there to help if you feel you aren't getting enough support. Good luck hun.

[monstermunch]

Hi again, StaceyStudent. This is my third degree that I've studied externally now so I'm used to studying this way, I'm just disappointed with the way this course has been written, for example in my study guide I have to fill in blanks, do multiple choice questions and answer true/false questions based on a number of readings, however the readings don't always match up. I suppose it's just a question of getting used to a different Uni's way of doing things Can't believe exams are only a month away can you, very scary. Good luck with your exams, I'm sure you will do fine.
Let me know how your placements go, I'm very jealous, I won't be doing any placements until next year

[meg_bellamy]

Wow third degree! Is that because it's taken time before you've realised what you want to do? Or do you just like studying? Lol. That sucks about things being different from the other Uni, hopefully things will get easier for you soon. Luckily I only have one exam, for the anatomy topic, I am hoping on just passing it! Good luck with your exams too! I'm doing my placement in July as a block placement, I'm actually really nervous as I'm direct-entry and this will be my very first time working in a hospital! I just want to get practice at basic things, like taking vital signs, bed-making and blood pressure. Can't wait till 2nd and 3rd yr when all our placements are on the maternal wards! We actually just got told that Women's & Children's hospital are probably going to start hiring 3rd yr midwifery students- experience and pay all at once! Maybe you would be able to do that as well?
Stacey xx

[SamanthaP]

Hi Stacey and Monstermunch!,

I'm at Flinders 1st year as well. Love the course - can't get enough of it! I've got my 10 follow throughs for the year which is a huge relief (actually 11 but I'm expecting one to drop out). I have studied externally previously - human bioscience as well - so I can relate to your pain, Monstermunch! Luckily I was able to RPL that for this year.
Now, back to my comms assignment!

See you Monday, Stacey! :-)
Sam.

[meg_bellamy]

ooooh Sam I'm so jealous! I've only got 1 follow-through, I'm really worried about that aspect of the course, I just don't see how it could be possible to fit in antenatal appointments for 2nd and 3rd yrs, what with uni, study and clinicals!

[monstermunch]

We actually just got told that Women's & Children's hospital are probably going to start hiring 3rd yr midwifery students- experience and pay all at once! Maybe you would be able to do that as well?
Stacey xx

That sounds great, I did a similar thing when I was in my third year studying nursing, it was definitely a great help and has made the transition from student to qualified a lot easier.

I'm also worried about the follow through aspect of the course. SamanthaP, how on earth did you get 11 women to agree to you being at their birth etc?

[SamanthaP]

I have just pretty much bombarded antenatal clinics! I have one (who is an aquaintance) who doesn't want me at the birth but the rest were ok with it. There is no real rush to get follow-thrus but I have little tackers so I didn't want to be having to go out to births and appt's over the xmas holidays. I also have tried to get the bulk of them over August/September before the assignment/study workload for semester 2 gets too overwhelming. That is my plan for this year but the thought of next year combining clinical/study/ft's scares the pants off me!!

[Antheia]

Just thought i'd make my way back in here and let you all know that i have enrolled into a bachelor of nursing course. Since i don't have a UAI i had to do a STAT test, which i did just this Saturday gone. It was 70 multiple questions which took just under 2 hours. I think i did alright. I find out if i have been accepted into the course on 25th June(the day before my birthday) So im really hoping i got in. If i do get in i'll do the course and then be a nurse for a while and then do the Midwifery course so i can be a midwife. I would have just done the Midwifery course but there isn't one near me at all, which is a pain, but at least there is still a away i can do it. Wish me luck!

[monstermunch]

Good luck, let us know how you get on!

[Karina]

Well done Tegan! Hope you get in. pity they dont have the midwifery degree at your local uni.. but you can do the postgrad course for one year after doing the nursing degree cant you?
I am doing the Stat test later this year so I can apply for uni for next year. With the Stat test, is there a written one too where you have to write an essay or is there only multiple choice questions to do?

[Antheia]

Karina, it depends on the uni in which you are going to apply for. With mine i only had to do the multipule choice one but there are others that you have to do both the written and multiple choice.

[Karina]

ahhhhh ok than. Thanks Tegan. I hope I only have to do the multiple choice one for the uni I want. I'm crap at essays.

[Antheia]

Look up on the uac site. It should tell you which uni's do what tests.

[Ambah]

Hey Tegan that is fantastic!!! Goodluck hon, I'm sure you'll get in! Are you doing Internal or External? Are you going to start off PT, or go straight to FT?

Re the STAT test: I *think* (dont quote me) one of the reasons for having to do the written test might depend on whether you did completed year 12 English? Or maybe if English is your 2nd language?

As for me.... I am going out on my first nursing Prac in a couple week, to the Royal Brisbane!! Soo nervous, but excited too!!