Overcoming Difficulties in Clinical Work

This helpful post comes to us from Jen Bertagnole, who will be graduating soon!

Clinical work can be rewarding and difficult.  What better way to solidify the knowledge you are gaining through schoolwork by putting it into practice in your clinical experiences?  Many times, students excitedly anticipate a clinical placement, only to encounter disheartening difficulties that can side-track them in their progress.  Here are a few suggestions in overcoming difficulties in clinical placements.

1. Be honest with yourself, your family, MCU and your preceptor about your readiness for an apprenticeship.  It was difficult for me to get my first preceptor to accept me as a student.  Four days before I was to finally start working with her, my adult stepson was diagnosed with a brain tumor.  I agonized about putting off a clinical placement that had been so difficult for me to secure.  However, I knew that it would be nearly impossible for me to juggle clinical work with this unexpected situation and everything else in my life.  I sent my preceptor an email, explaining the situation.  She was exceptionally understanding and allowed me to start my clinical work a couple of months later when my son’s health was more stable.

2.  Reach out to MCU and your preceptor when a life change occurs.  This can be a health issue, miscarriage, move, a change in marital status, death of a friend or family, etc.  Do not let pride, embarrassment, etc. keep you from being extremely honest with those that are helping you achieve your goals of becoming a midwife.  Even if you do not think the life event will impact your clinical or didactic work, REACH OUT.  Contact your house mother if you need help in doing this.   She can either help you reach out to teachers, the clinical dean, your preceptors, etc. or she can just touch base for a period of time to see how the life change is affecting your clinical work.

3. Look and think outside of the box.  I had wanted to apprentice with a local birth center but could not afford the fee they charged students.  For months I hoped for a way to make it happen.  Finally, I got the nerve to contact them and asked if I could work with them during the holidays for a reduction in of their fees.  To my surprise, they eagerly agreed, as out-of-town students rarely want to come during the holiday period.  If you never ask, the answer is always no.  Do not hold yourself back!!

4. Address problems in your preceptorship as they arise, with your preceptor in an honest, open way, away from clinical work, if possible. Do not take things personally, even if they are meant personally. A crucial part of your learning is knowing how to communicate in a professional, appropriate way. If you are concerned about your ability to do this, consider taking COMM 114: Communication Skills prior to beginning your clinical work.

5. Know ethical and unethical behavior, how to address ethical questions and the laws of the state in which you are apprenticing.  Courtney Everson is an excellent resource for discussing ethical issues that you may be uncertain about how to manage.  While you are certainly accountable to your preceptor, do not forget your responsibility to the client and (just as important), to yourself.  If you are uncertain about ethics and the laws regarding midwifery care, consider taking SOSC302, Ethics & the Law in Midwifery, before beginning your clinical work.

So often students eagerly look forward to beginning their clinical experiences without considering the difficult work that it can sometimes be.  While it is certainly rewarding, be honest with yourself about your readiness to add such responsibilities to your current life.  Being aware of some of the difficulties one can encounter during a clinical placement and how to address them can help you better navigate this exciting time in your midwifery career.