So I have decided I want to be a midwife!!! Some questions for those studying or have

[Miss K]

Ok so as the title suggests I want to become a midwife... I a a fully qualified hairdresser and I only passed year 10 as I left school to do what I thought I always wanted to be!

So can I even do it if I didn't finish year 12?

Is there a part-time option if so how long does it take?

Do I need to do my nursing degree first?

Any help greatly appreciated (I think I found my calling I've been lost for soo long but I think this is totally going to be me!)

[Miss.B]

Hi hun and congrats on your new carrer choice!!! I would love to be a middy but I think I'm too old now!!! lol. I'm pretty sure you need a nursing degree first and then specialise in midwifery. My DF's daughter is thinking about it and currently she's studying to be a nurse. GL hun!!!

[~TT40~]

There are two ways to do it. not everywhere offers both ways...so one deciding factor might be what is avaliable near you.
first way is being a nurse first = you need to do the 3+ year bachelor of nursing, and then 1 year post grad dip of midi. some courses also require you to work as a nurse for atleast a year before doing the post grad.
the second way is to do a 3 year bachelor of midi - this is fairly new in australia and isn't offered everywhere.

there are pros and cons for both ways, and it would depend on alot of things. I personaly think the nurse first/aswell is best, yes it takes longer, but i think the skills you get as a nurse you will use forever, i am using them in my day to day life as well as my midi. Plus it opens more doors and gives you more options work wise.

good luck!!

[feeb]

There are two ways to do it. not everywhere offers both ways...so one deciding factor might be what is avaliable near you.
first way is being a nurse first = you need to do the 3+ year bachelor of nursing, and then 1 year post grad dip of midi. some courses also require you to work as a nurse for atleast a year before doing the post grad.
the second way is to do a 3 year bachelor of midi - this is fairly new in australia and isn't offered everywhere.

there are pros and cons for both ways, and it would depend on alot of things. I personaly think the nurse first/aswell is best, yes it takes longer, but i think the skills you get as a nurse you will use forever, i am using them in my day to day life as well as my midi. Plus it opens more doors and gives you more options work wise.

good luck!!

YES all of that I agree with doing nursing first as well.

Good luck its a great career

[Miss K]

You know what I like that idea nursing first!

Does anyone know if you need to complete year 12 first?

[Beautiful Disaster]

HEY YOU. No you dont contact southbank tafe they have a diploma of nursing that you can do part time (my sis was doing 6 months ago thats how i know and its on the study now pay later deal)

[Mother Goose]

Most Uni's will allow you to apply ad a mature age applicant without year 12 if you are over a certain age or have been working for a set period of time. You will find, however, that you will most likely have to do a bridging course to help ease you into the academic requirements of Uni. I think they go for about 3 months and are usually done over Summer but don't quote me on that!

The best thing to do is to contact the Uni you'd like to apply to and ask them. Keep an eye out for Uni open days as well.

I'm not sure if they still do it, but I remember a couple of Uni's were also doing the combined degree for a while (4 years in total an you had to do two graduate years).

If you want both nursing and mid qualifications, keep in mind that if you do nursing first, post grad mid is only 1 year. If you do mid first, post grad nursing is 2 years at most Uni's.

Personally, I feel that having both qualifications makes you more employable. It also gives you more options if you want to change direction later.

[~TT40~]

HEY YOU. No you dont contact southbank tafe they have a diploma of nursing that you can do part time (my sis was doing 6 months ago thats how i know and its on the study now pay later deal)

to do midi you need to do the bachelor of nursing at a uni rather than a diploma at a tafe. The difference is there are 2 types of nurses, first a Registered Nurse (requiring the uni degree) and an Enrolled Nurse (the tafe diploma).

if you do your nursing first you have to be an RN to do the postgrad course.

[Miss K]

Thanks ladies! I have emailied UQ up here as they do both and have asked them about the year 10 fingers crossed we get some answers soon! I'm definately going to do my nursing first followed by Midi!

Lucky you said that Teirae I'd hate to do a course and have to do another to get into midi!

[Catastrophic]

Congrats on choosing a fulfilling career

I 2nd everything the girls here have said about doing your nursing first and then doing your midi's good luck!

[Onelittleprincess]

Sometimes tho tafe courses can shorten uni degrees. Totally different field but that's the case in hospitality

[Catastrophic]

Sometimes tho tafe courses can shorten uni degrees. Totally different field but that's the case in hospitality

They don't shorten the degree at all. It works out to be the same or a little bit longer.


Love MN ;-)

[Ahurani]

They do shorten the degree. I got 4 subjects off incl an elective for being an EN first. But in the end you finish with everyone else you just don't have to do those subjects. And you get the first year of clinicals off.

[Catastrophic]

But it doesn't shorten the time it takes you (which is what I was implying)

You have to do 12-18month at tafe and then still another 2 years at uni. So your still taking 3-1/2years to become qualified.

[Me+him+bub]

It took me 4 years to finish my bachelor of nursing at Griffith ( who were wonderful! ) I had a newborn in 4th year ( did part time) and they were soooo supportive! I have worked 18 months as a surgical nurse in brissy and am now going back in January to do my masters in midwifery. Go the way I did! you will learn so much more, have a career in TWO different fields, I find you will be much more respected if you have done both (not saying doing the midi degree isn't respectful) but from a patient's perspective I know I would rather an RN turned midwife than a 20 year old who only know how to deliver babies. You will be much more confident and know so much more.

[Freya]

Im doing my Bachelor of Nursing via external study with Charles Darwin University. Im currently one unit a semester because my husband is away but next year I will be doing 2 units a semester (part time). Part time takes around 6 years depending on how many subjects you do and how long that particular Uni's course is (some are 2, some are 3, some are 4).

Im 100% going to do my Masters in Midwifery after I finish my degree. I would have done just a midwifery degree if I had of had the opportunity where I live but I dont so its nursing or bust.

I entered as a mature age student with my HSC (OP or whatever the equiv is in Qld) but I know that others who havent done HSC or Enrolled nursing had to do a bridging course of 6mths first. I honestly wouldnt do the EN course at TAFE first unless your planning on working while you study (which I personally wouldnt recommend with kids as well!)

[Hannahbanana]

My uni offers a combined nursing/mid degree that is 4 years full time. I am 6 months in and it's about to get full on!!!! We start our mid subjects this semester. At the end of the degree I will be a registered nurse and a registered midwife. I am not too fussed on the nursing aspects although I could be a theater nurse or something like that (just not a nurse on an acute ward) my end goal is midwife but I do think it is more benifical for me to have the nursing as well as I am in a rural area.

[Tegam]

Yay for your career choice!

I only completed yr 11 and got into uni the year i turned 19 and did nursing! i got straight into my middy after nursing but decided i needed to cement my nursing skills before doing mid....10yrs on i still havent got back to the middy, life jusy happened but ill get there. i a happy i went nursing first, i know ill be a better mid for it