My name is Elisabeth, I am a midwife but also a manager for the ward.
Elisabeth
My role can be challenging at times but I feel very privileged to be part of a great team, supporting families coming from all different backgrounds.
Have you always been a midwife?
I was born in France and studied in France and attained my business degree. I moved to Wales after my degree and was teaching French in a language school and working in a local hotel. I met my husband and decided to stay, we have three grown up children. I had many jobs in the following few years but after working in a care home, I felt that I should follow a career in the NHS. I knew I wanted to be a midwife but decided to do my nurse training first to get a more rounded experience.
I trained in Swansea university for a degree in Nursing and a postgraduate diploma in midwifery (18-month programme) but since have been back to do two masters modules and several courses, such the Neonatal examination course which allows me to do checks on newborn babies.
What do your role involve?
I work on the shop floor with the rest of the midwives and health care support workers. I look after parents and their babies making sure that all their health needs are covered and that they are discharged safely into the community after their care on the ward is over. We concentrate on several aspects such as baby feeding, care of the newborn, physical, mental and social support to parents. We link with the multidisciplinary team (doctors, community midwives, hearing test service, other specialities, social services…) to provide continuity of care. My ward also offers the induction of labour service.
What are your duties as a ward manager involve?
As a manager, I also have a lot of other responsibilities. I am responsible for recruitment, rosters, patient relations, policies, staff support, staff training, to make sure that the ward has everything necessary for it to run effectively, stock, infection control, documentation checking, I link with all other departments to provide the best care for patients and staff… My role is very wide and never exhaustive. The role does not change but new duties arise all the time depending on changes on the ward.
What are you most proud of in your role?
I am very proud of all of my colleagues and the service we offer. All staff are involved in changes on the ward and we have been very busy the last couple of years improving the service through many projects (such as streamlining discharges, ward improvements, better relationships with the multidisciplinary team…). The global pandemic was a very good example of how our staff can adapt and change their practice to support the service. We organise social events, competitions for Christmas, Easter, which involve staff and their families. This a way to know, understand and support people as well as improving and maintaining the wellbeing of our team.