November 27, 2013 Clinical Update

Hello, lovely (thankful) students!

Just a few quick reminders as you're getting ready for the end of the semester. EVERYONE currently enrolled in CLNC 100 needs to complete the clinical handbook quiz before the end of the semester. If you attended a clinical orientation session, that covers this assignment. Make sure you are familiar with the requirements of your program--download and read the clinical handbook and take the quiz!

If you're in a clinical placement, you'll need to turn in your evaluations at the end of the term. Download them from the Clinical Program tab now and avoid the rush!

I've had a lot of questions lately about Getting Approved for Primary Births, so I put together this little summary: http://prezi.com/z4odcvkxmzil/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy
Take a look!

There are no more clinical rounds during December, but they will return in January. If you'd like to present, let me know--I have spaces open in January and February!

Finally, this is BIG, BIG news. I now have a direct office phone number! I can now be reached during office hours and by appointment--message me for the number. This is not my personal cell phone, so no more dire warnings about the consequences of calling me in the middle of the night! Huzzah!

All the best--I am grateful for you!

Sarah Carter

International Clinical Placement Policy

In considering International Clinical Placements, Midwives College of Utah expects that student midwives will show cultural humility and sensitivity in all their interactions with clients, regardless of locality. We further expect that clinical field faculty (preceptors) and sites approved by Midwives College of Utah will be accountable, honest and demonstrate the utmost respect for all clients, student midwives and practicing midwives, in accordance with the Midwives Model of Care, which is and has always been the standard we set for midwifery education. Transparency, cultural appropriateness and primacy of client care are expected of all clinical sites, regardless of location.

Students planning to pursue Clinical Placement outside of their country of residence*:

1. Must fulfill the normal requirements for students in clinical placement (enrolled in CLNC 100, accepted to the Clinical Program, etc.)

2. Must have completed SOSC 150 (Cultural Competency) with the International Clinical Study module (requiring 10-20 hours of class work) before leaving for their clinical placement. For students planning international placements before May 1, 2013, speak to the Clinical Dean about accommodations for this requirement.

3. Must meet with the Clinical Dean or a clinical department staff member before and after their international placement to discuss appropriate behavior in placement and debrief their experience.

*Traveling between the US and Canada will not be considered “outside their country of residence” due to the strong cultural similarities between the two nations in this case. If you are traveling to a country you feel is culturally very similar to your home country, you can ask for an exclusion of this requirement.

Clinical Field Faculty (Preceptors) or Clinical Sites outside of the United States and Canada:

1. Must fulfill the typical requirements for clinical field faculty and sites. All documentation must be in English or translated into English by a reliable source.

2. Preceptors or site directors must complete an interview explaining how they work with local birth attendants, respect cultural norms, practice informed consent for care (especially care provided by visiting student midwives), how possible conflict between student/preceptor or student/student will be resolved, how they recognize autonomy of their clients (including offering choice and alternatives), how they measure their accountability to the community they serve and how students will be trained on cultural differences during their placement.

We reserve the right to revoke approval of a clinical site or preceptor at any time if they are found to be practicing outside the Midwives Model of Care, or showing disrespect for a client, student or midwife's culture, color, religion, education, socioeconomic status, or other difference. We encourage students who witness such behavior, whether in a single instance or in systemic ways, to prioritize the rights of clients and midwifery as a whole over their individual needs for development and learning, and to speak up about injustice, addressing concerns directly to their field instructors and to the clinical department with an eye toward improvement and strengthening midwifery culture as a whole.

November 12, 2013 Update

Hello, ladies!
As you've seen, the new International Clinical Placement policy is out. Please contact me if you have questions!

Also, as we approach the end of the semester, I've had several questions about what needs to be turned in. Really simply, if you haven't been in clinical placement this semester, you don't need to turn anything in. If you've completed your Clinical Handbook quiz or Orientation session, you're in good shape. Make sure you understand the Clinical Application process and do the Preparations for a Successful Field Study before you start your first Clinical Placement. You're in good shape!

If you are in Clinical Placement or have done clinical work this semester, you need to turn in the following items:
+ Statement of Clinical Progress-(with your most current log forms, if possible)
+ Student Self-Evaluation-This is an excellent tool for you to look back on the work you've done and look forward to your next step. I strongly encourage students to have a conversation with their preceptors about the questions on this form. If you would like to set up an appointment for a phone interview in place of this form, let me know and we'll set a date for the end of the term.
+ Student Evaluation of Preceptor (yes, please fill one out for each preceptor if you have more than one, and the reverse is also true--if you have more than one preceptor, please ask them each to evaluate you).
+ Preceptor Evaluation of Student (they can send this to me directly if preferred).
All of these forms are downloadable as a group on the Clinical Program tab as "Evaluation Forms" for your convenience!

Say what?

EVERYONE should have completed the Clinical Handbook assignment by now. If you didn't attend a Clinical Orientation session, download and read the Clinical Handbook and take the quiz. There will be more Clinical Orientation sessions scheduled in January--you don't have to be a new student to attend--all students are welcome!

Finally, don't miss Clinical Rounds next Tuesday, November 19th at 7 pm Mountain time zone. Lindsay Kinman will be presenting a case I hear is very exciting! 

Hope to see you all there!
Sarah Carter

October 25, 2013 Update

Just a quick update today--
The new International Clinical Placement Standards should be out next week. If you've sent me logs lately, I apologize--I am working on logs 2+ hours a day and I am still behind. I am trying to catch up. I promise. (Don't stop sending them to me. Just be patient.)

Also, the Test Request deadline for taking the February 2014 NARM exam is next week: November 1. I've received documents from the students who told me they were taking the exam already and I will be in contact with them after the deadline about any additional paperwork that's needed but if you are planning to take the NARM next February, please let me know ASAP!

Finally, a note about FORMS for taking the NARM. When you start primary births, or continuity of care births, I would encourage you to download these 3 forms:
Form 200-NARM Continuity of Care form (available from this link: http://narm.org/equivalency-applicants/meac-download-application-forms/ -make sure you get the right one for your "program"--if you don't know if you're new or old, you're probably new.)
Form 204-NARM Out of Hospital Birth form (same link as above)
MEAC Continuity of Care form (downloadable from the Clinical Program tab on your left).

If you have COC and OOH forms from the old clinical handbook, or that say MCU on them, NARM is now requesting that you use ONLY THEIR FORMS, not any others. If you already filled out old/out of date forms, don't panic. They can still take them if you can't get the new forms filled out, but they really prefer their forms over ours (I know, I'm trying not to take it personally either. Send chocolate). Certainly, if you haven't done your COCs yet, these will be good to have on hand!

The MEAC form replaces the need to send charts in for Continuity of Cares--much simpler and more compact, but it does need to be signed by your preceptor. If you have chart copies instead and no way to get your preceptor to sign the MEAC form, it will be ok, but again, the MEAC form is much preferred.

Hope you're all doing well--enjoy some apple cider this weekend, especially those ladies who took the NARM at the MANA conference yesterday. Woohoo!

Sarah

October 14, 2013 Update

Hello, everyone!

We had a wonderful time at conference--I enjoyed getting to see so many of you in person and I apologize if I wasn't available enough. I'm working on a plan to be more accessible and organized for student meetings during conference in the spring. 

Photo by Darren Hester, Creative Commons

A quick reminder about events this week:

On Tuesday, October 15 at 7:00 pm (Mountain time): Cheryl Furer will be presenting Clinical Rounds on Biophysical Profiles. It looks like a very informative and helpful presentation. Those who were in the Prenatal Care conference class, I know we talked about these briefly and Cheryl's got a great case and explanation of this procedure.

Then on Friday, October 18 at 8:00 am, there will be a meeting for students planning on graduating and taking the NARM in 2014 (if you've already attended one of these sessions, no need to attend again--this is the same thing). If you're not sure if you should attend, shoot me a quick message and we'll discuss your plans.

I've had quite a few requests from students for internships--if you know about a clinical opportunity, please send it to me, whether long or short term. We can help each other out!

Finally, my office hours are still Friday mornings from 9 to 11 am Mountain time. I keep my skype up and my email blinking. If you'd like a traditional phone call, we can do that too! I'd love to talk to you!

All the best,

Sarah Carter

October 7, 2013 Update

Happy Autumn, everyone!

I'm sending this from the MCU conference--our beginning students are enjoying a session on Preparing Your Clients for Birth--I hear lots of laughter and happiness from over there, and our advanced students (and several midwives from the community) are studying ob pharmacology in the other room. Much more serious, but good learning happening while the caterer sets up a delicious-looking lunch.

For those wondering about international clinical placement standards, they are in progress and you can expect updates within the next two weeks. This is very important to us and we are working on it!

Also, for anyone who missed the online Clinical Orientation calls held earlier in the semester or would like to review, I have a recording of it now, available to download - Message me for the link and do message me with questions!

Upcoming clinical events for the coming month:
Thu Oct 10 at 12:00 noon (all Mountain time): Clinical Rounds-Special session LIVE from the conference on Cultural Awareness and Ethics in Clinical Practice

Tue Oct 15 at 7:00 pm: Clinical Rounds-Cheryl Furer will be presenting on Biophysical Profiles

Fri Oct 18 at 8:00 am: Class of 2014 Clinical meeting--for students planning on graduating and taking the NARM in 2014 (if you've already attended one of these sessions, no need to attend again).

Thursday, Oct 24 will be the NARM exam at MANA Conference so spare a thought for your sisters who will be testing that day.

Finally, Friday, Nov 1 is the deadline for Request to Test forms for students planning to take the February NARM exam.

Out of Country Midwifery Practice

Dear Students,
As you know, the Midwives College of Utah is committed to excellence. We believe that all women deserve a gentle safe birth experience that is free from any bias related to gender, race or religion. We've been very touched and impressed with the emails and calls we've received about out of country clinical practice. It is heartening to see how passionate and concerned many of you are about the issues that have been raised lately in the midwifery community at large, specifically about the organization Midwife International. In addition to many of our students who have done and continue to do midwifery internships overseas, we are an international school, serving students who live outside the United States and Canada. As this issue has come to the forefront, it's become more and more apparent that it is something that needs to be addressed by all midwives, not only those who live or work in disadvantaged areas.

MCU is working on a full plan to address these issues, including cultural competency training for students before beginning clinical training and a review of our standards for international clinical placement. It's a big issue and it's going to take a while for us to get a handle on it in a manner that is appropriate and thorough- not a quick fix But we know a lot of you have concerns about the "right now" and we wanted to address those concerns.

1. MCU has no students in placements at this time with Midwife International and no additional placements with this organization will be approved in the near future.

2. All international midwifery placements are under review. We are not closing the door on international clinical work. Students are welcome to continue their international travels but at this time there is not a guarantee that these experiences will be accepted by the school.

3. It is the expectation that any MCU student traveling internationally will behave in culturally humble ways, and adhere strictly to the Midwives Model of Care, including respect for the autonomy of all clients and honesty in all situations. If you are in an international placement currently or have plans to travel soon, please contact the Clinical Dean immediately with your questions and we will do our best to answer them.

We are deeply troubled by the lack of accountability and standards in some international programs. If a woman is not given the opportunity to consent to care by a student midwife, the Midwives Model of Care is not in place. Any organization or birth place that does not follow the Midwives Model of Care is not an appropriate learning setting for our students. There is no place in midwifery for acts of neo-colonialism.

We'd like to hear more about your experiences and thoughts on this issue. There will be a thread on the bulletin board on this topic for discussion; we will be having conversations about this at the conference and online. The Clinical Rounds that would have been Thursday, October 10 will be replaced by a discussion about international midwifery work and cultural ethics. All students are invited to this session.

In the midwifery spirit,
Kristi Ridd-Young, President
Sarah Carter, Clinical Dean 
Nicole Croft, Academic Dean
Karen Hertel, Graduate Dean

September 11, 2013 Update

Hello, everyone! Hope you're getting into the routine of your new classes and enjoying some cooler weather.

A few notes for this week:
If you're new to MCU and are wondering WHY you're in clinical practicum, because you don't have a clinical placement and HOW you're going to finish this class with so many assignments by December, fear not! CLNC 100 is not expected to be finished in one semester. If you're not ready to enter clinical placement, all you need to do is complete the "Clinical Handbook" assignment OR attend a Clinical Orientation session so you can learn about what WILL be expected of you once you begin your clinical work. Easy!

Speaking of Clinical Orientation and Overview, we will have another session tomorrow afternoon at 12:30 pm (the same login information as all other MCU meetings--see the bottom of this message for a copy). There will also be a session on Friday, October 4 at 11 am. These meetings do take 90 minutes, so make sure you leave enough time for them! They fulfill the Clinical Handbook quiz, and even experienced clinical students are invited!

Clinical Rounds starts back up for the semester tomorrow as well. Karen Edland will be presenting tomorrow morning at 10 am on a miscarriage case and next Tuesday at 6 pm we'll have a presentation from Brindie Bishop presenting on nutrition and avoiding complications in labor and the early postpartum period. Remember any student at MCU can attend, but you do need to view the Ground Rules session beforehand. It's in the digital library!

Don't forget that I now have Office Hours Friday mornings from 9-11 am. I can be reached via email or skype with questions, requests or even just a friendly hi-how-are-ya.

Students enrolled in Lab Classes--I have some very important information about your Skill Sign-offs that I will send tomorrow or Friday. WATCH FOR THIS EMAIL--it will be good news.

All the best,
Sarah Carter

Welcome to Clinical 100 or Welcome BACK!

Welcome to Clinical 100 or Welcome BACK!

My name is Sarah and I’m the clinical dean and your instructor for CLNC 100. Kaylee is my assistant and she is heavily involved in grading for this class. If you’re new to MCU or the clinical program, welcome! If you know what’s going on, a few things have changed and I have some tips for you too, so pay attention!

You will be enrolled in CLNC 100 until you graduate--its purpose is to guide you through your clinical experience as a student midwife! Some things to know—

1. All of your “assignments” should be uploaded via the class as PDF files if possible. If you need to convert a file from .doc or .jpg, try the free converter at: http://www.freepdfconvert.com.  If you need to resend a file you can’t upload or send multiple files, please send them to both Clinical Dean AND Clinical Dean Assistant.

2. New this semester, I will have OFFICE HOURS Friday mornings 9-11 am Mountain time. During this time, I will be available by phone, skype and will return MCU messages just as quickly as I can type. Hopefully this will help people get quick answers to questions. I know that time won’t work for every student, so I’m also available for phone meetings by appointment, just send me a message and let me know.

3. CLINICAL ROUNDS will now be held twice a month-one session on a Tuesday morning and one on a Thursday evening. There are sessions Thursday, September 12, 2013 at 10:00 am and Tuesday, September 17 at 6 pm and 7 pm (all Mountain time). Reminders will be posted a day or two each session with login instructions.

If you want to attend this session, make sure you watch the ground rules session (available on the digital library) before your first rounds. You must watch a ground rules presentation before attending rounds for the first time. Every student needs to attend at least 5 sessions, including one where you will present a case! I have openings for presenters in October and November --send me a message if you would like to present.

4.  Plan on attending a CLINICAL ORIENTATION and Overview session--the first one is September 9th at 12:30 pm (Mountain)--more to be announced on the Upcoming Events page and via MCU Message. This presentation is especially for new students in CLNC 100-- attendance will complete your "Clinical Handbook Quiz" assignment so don’t miss it.

5. If you are GRADUATING in 2014, message me ASAP--I have some upcoming meetings I need all of our “seniors” to attend so all eyes are crossed and tees are dotted.

6. The assignment “Preparation for Successful Preceptorship” asks you to go to a website. The website has been moved but the link at the old site will forward you, and you now have to click “JOIN SITE” after you log in. One extra step--everything else about this assignment is the same.

7. Final Note: I have set up a BLOG to store updates like these (you can expect them about once a week) so you don’t have to keep my emails in your box. The address is: http://midwifingmidwives.blogspot.com/ and I highly recommend bookmarking or subscribing to it--I will be posting clinical placement opportunities as they come in, and updates about upcoming events (like orientation sessions and clinical rounds). Plus, pictures!

I’m excited about this semester and I’m here to help you have a successful clinical experience—let me know how I can help.

All the best,

Sarah Carter