A Guide: Succeeding in your midwifery preceptorship
Student or Band 5 Midwives across the country will be looking to complete their 6-12 month midwifery preceptorship, which allows newly qualified staff to transition to becoming a fully qualified professional midwife. 
Jessica James-Hill, one of our Band 6 Midwives at our Women’s Hospital has kindly agreed to share her gems of wisdom around the preceptorship scheme. Starting with us in 2020, Jessica began her preceptorship after transferring to BWC from a smaller Trust and has recently created an article around surviving your preceptorship with the Royal College of Midwives ‘Midwives’ Magazine.
She said: “Your preceptorship is an opportunity to familiarise yourself with a different environment, consolidate everything you learned throughout your training and build your confidence with your clinical skills so you can provide the best standard care for women, birthing people and their families. It also allows you to experience all aspects of midwifery, understand how the different departments work together and identify which area you would like to remain in as a Band 6 midwife or if you would like to continue as a rotational midwife. It gives you chance to identify your own strengths and interests as a midwife which can help you decide which career path you will follow.”
If you’re an aspiring midwife or know someone who is looking to pursue that role, Jessica has put together a few top tips for ambitious midwives-to-be on how to thrive in your preceptorship and graduate as a new Band 5 Midwife at our Women’s Hospital.
Read Jessica’s top tips:
1) Organisation is key
Jessica said: “To complete your preceptorship you will be given a logbook to complete which will document your competencies and can also highlight areas you may need some additional support, ensuring you are well equipped as a Band 6 midwife to provide safe and effective care.”
It’s best to keep ahead where you can and keep on top of your booklet to ensure you aren’t falling behind. It’s helpful to take a proactive attitude in your learning and document this in your preceptorship book. Your preceptors and colleagues can support you in stay organised and on top of your workload.
2) Talk to your senior colleagues and peers
If you need support, our senior colleagues are here to help. Whether this be a query about managing your workload effectively or ensuring that you’re completing tasks correctly, there’s no such thing as a silly question. Even following your preceptorship, your colleagues are here to support you just as you would do for someone in need of assistance or advice.
See your preceptorship as having your ‘learning plates’ on for the transition into life on our wards. You will be a midwife in practice and our colleagues will help to accommodate your learning and help you to learn from challenges and understand that you are still learning.
Jessica shared: “I was so scared when I first started my preceptorship. I found the responsibility of the role really daunting, and still do to this day, the care we provide has such an impact. The great thing about your preceptorship is having supernumerary periods in each area and being recognised as a junior member of staff so senior colleagues can provide that extra support and empathise with your through all the learning curves.
“I will always be grateful for the reassurance provided from my colleagues when I was a very worried and anxious Band 5. Every midwife has been in this position and faced similar challenges when first qualifying. It is so helpful to have colleagues who you can turn to who have experiences, knowledge and wisdom from their own preceptorship and careers which they can share with you as you are developing your own skills and practice.
3) Stay current – read through Trust policies, guidelines and get your bearings
Reading through Trust policies is a great way to stay ahead and adapt to your new environment. Guidelines may differ if you are joining us from a different Trust so it’s important to review these during your preceptorship. Our Clinical Educators are also on hand 24 hours a day to guide you on processes and ways to improve upon your current skills.
Jessica said: “The clinical educators and your preceptors are there to provide support, guidance and assistance when needed. You can also learn so much from all of your colleagues - ranging from anaesthetists to the housekeepers. Simple things like knowing where equipment is kept, how to bleep someone, who is responsible for what and where the emergency buzzer or trolley is, are vital to provide safe care. Never be afraid to ask.”
4) Take time to rest and reflect
Jessica said: “Taking time to recharge and reflect after the long shifts is so important. If you are ever doubting yourself, remember that you managed to complete your degree and qualify as a midwife for a reason - because you have achieved the necessary skills and knowledge required, believe in yourself!
“Being a midwife is challenging regardless of how long you have been qualified, but it is also such a privileged and rewarding job. When I completed the preceptorship I was so proud of myself and so happy - not just because I could finally say goodbye to the logbook! I wouldn’t have been able to achieve it without the fantastic support and encouragement from my colleagues, managers and of course the wonderful women and birthing people I have cared for. As there are other Band 5 midwives that begin their preceptorship alongside you, it is wonderful to be able to celebrate this achievement together and acknowledge how far you have come since being a student.”
5) Self-belief from the beginning
As you will have already qualified as a Band 5 newly qualified midwife, this is simply an opportunity to become an even better clinical colleague who can understand all elements of the maternity system. As an enrichment opportunity, you are fully qualified and competent to achieve and progress to your Band 5 role. All of this is possible by applying for your preceptorship.
Learn more about our midwifery preceptorship and training options.