Clinical Update: May 23, 2016

Welcome to Summer semester and to Canvas!

Photo courtesy of National Parks Service: Biscayne Underwater Park, Florida

Hope you're enjoying your classes and getting into clinical work as you go.

The following live sessions/conferences will be offered this week and next:
Applying for the NARM Exam: Wednesday, May 25 at 1 pm
Preparing for Primary Births: Tuesday, May 30 at 9 am
Starting Your Clinical Placement: Wednesday, June 1 at 2 pm
There will all be held in the CONFERENCES tab for CLNC 100.1 via BigBlueButton.

Also, we have two sessions of Clinical Rounds coming up:
Katherine Walker presenting on Posterior Presentation, Friday, May 27 at 10 am
Joanne Byrd presenting on IUGR, Tuesday, June 7 at 11 am
These are available to the entire school and will be accessible in the Online Auditorium--see your calendar for details!

Don't forget, office hours are Mondays, 1-3 pm in the CHAT tab for CLNC 100.1 If that time doesn't work for you, or if you have a private question, send me an email in Canvas and we'll schedule a time to talk! Monday, May 30 and July 25 are holidays and MCU will be closed, so we'll do office hours the next day, Tuesday, May 31 and July 26 instead.

Just a quick reminder--scanning and emailing documents is MUCH more reliable and faster than faxing. Please scan and send rather than fax whenever possible!

Have a great summer!
Sarah Carter

Clinical Update: April 6, 2016

Well, here comes the end of the semester--I trust you're all working away on finishing projects and class assignments.

Photo courtesy of Redsimon (Creative Commons) 

Don't forget to complete your end-of-semester evaluations (if you did any clinical experiences this semester). And as always, if you've been accepted to the clinical rpogram but have NOT done any clinical experiences this semester, you only need to complete the Statement of Clinical Progress.

A quick note: when you email Kaylee or I to see if a preceptor is approved, please include the preceptor(s) NAMES, not just the name of the site or practice. Sometimes preceptors leave or join a practice over time, so if we tell you that, yes, the midwives at "Awesome Birth Center" are approved, but we have Jana, Kim and Leslie down, and now Kim, Wendy and Jennifer work there--that's going to cause problems for you down the road. So please include the first and last names of preceptors you'd like us to check. Thanks!

Before we finish this semester, we do have two sessions of Clinical Rounds coming up:
Wednesday, April 13 at 12:00pm Mountain Time Clinical Rounds-Stefanie Huisman-Breastfeeding Jaundice
Thursday, April 14 at 11:00am Mountain Time Clinical Rounds-Tracy Cuneo-Fetal Arrhythmia

FINALLY--if you have not yet completed your Clinical Handbook assignment (questions over the Clinical Handbook)--DO IT NOW. You must have this completed by the end of this semester so we can move your records for this class over to Canvas and we don't want to leave anyone behind!

Happy Spring and Happy End of Term!

Clinical Update: March 15, 2016

Happy Spring!

These are my actual crocuses and that is actual snow. 

Today's update comes to you in 4 parts.

1. The state of things. Some of you may remember that a few weeks ago, I missed a live session because my computer would not start. After nursing it along as best I could, it became critical last week and we had to remove the motherboard (turns out the name is apt--things fall apart without it!) and send for a replacement. Also removed the hard drive, so I can access my files on another computer. So, I can work, but if you've noticed some delay in my responses recently, this is part of the reason.

Another reason is that I have cyclical major depression and the last week or so have not been great for me. I've dealt with this before and I have set up my life to surround me with people and systems that keep me going even when I feel like I can't go on. I bring it up mainly to help "break the silence" that surrounds mental health issues. I'm having a hard time right now, as so many people do. I will get through it, but not everyone has the advantages I do. If this makes you think you should treat me a little more gently, or offer help or prayers, keep in mind that many people you know and speak to every day probably are dealing with the same or similar issues. We can all be a little kinder to each other.

2. MCU is now hosting a Career Placement Opportunities page:
https://www.midwifery.edu/career-placement-opportunities/
To be clear, this is for graduates/certified midwives. The clinical placement opportunities board (for students seeking clinical placement) will continue to exist separately on our internal system. If you know of job opportunities for midwives, you can send them to Kaylee and we'll post them for our community!

3. We are moving to Canvas next semester and all students in CLNC 100 will be moved to the new version in Canvas AS LONG AS they have completed their Clinical Handbook "quiz"/questions. If you haven't already completed this assignment, please do so now. If you need help or have questions about the assignment, contact me ASAP. I would love to have nobody left behind in the old version of CLNC 100, having to jump back and forth between the two systems.

4. Upcoming Events:
Clinical Rounds, Monday, March 21, Uncontrolled Postpartum Hemorrhage by Gabriella Price
Clinical Rounds, Wednesday, April 13, Breastfeeding Jaundice by Stefanie Huisman
and we have openings for a couple more people to present this semester, so if you'd like to do clinical rounds, let me know!

Have a wonderful week!

Clinical Update: February 17, 2016

Hello, students!

It's winter turning slowly into spring here in northern Utah and it's a beautiful thing to see the sun again after so many cloudy weeks. I hope you've gotten settled in the new semester and are working hard in your classes and clinical placements. A few things to share with you:

photo courtesy of Wikimedia

1. I'm pleased to introduce Jenny Schultz, our new Preceptor Liaison. Since she works mainly with preceptors, students won't have a ton of reasons to interact with her, but if your preceptor or a potential preceptor has questions, they can reach her via the external email at preceptors (at) midwifery.edu. You can also contact her on the MCU messaging system by typing her name into the other recipients box. Remember, Jenny is focused on making sure we have the best, most supported preceptors for our students!

2. I will be hosting Live office hours again next Monday, February 22 from 1-3 pm MST
You can log in and get answers to your questions right away!

3. We have another exciting Clinical Rounds coming up. Elaine Arnold will be presenting on Tuesday, March 15 at 11 am MST on the management of labor and delivery of a morbidly obese client. Please remember to view the Ground Rules session before attending clinical rounds for the first time.

Ask your preceptor if they have taken advantage of the free CEUs MCU is offering this month!

4. Finally, first semester students (and everyone!) make sure you've finished and submitted the Clinical Handbook assignment in CLNC 100. This goes over the critical information you need to know BEFORE you start your first clinical placement and should be completed your FIRST semester at MCU. Don't put it off, it's easy!

Have a wonderful day and I wish you all the best!

Clinical Update: January 12, 2016

Welcome to Winter Semester, all you wonderful students. It's cold and icy outside, but seeing you arrive online ready to learn and make the world a better place warms my heart.

Photo courtesy of National Parks Service: Winter in Bryce Canyon

New Clinical Handbook and International Clinical Placement Exception Policy!
The new Clinical Handbook, updated for 2016 is now available for download in the Clinical Program page, along with the long awaited International Clinical Placement Exception Policy. The new handbook has much more up to date information and supersedes previous handbooks, so please look to it for questions. It even has an FAQ in the back for your convenience.

Upcoming Live Events and Live Office Hours

Clinical Orientation (required for first semester students, recommended for anyone who wants a reminder or update on clinical requirements):

or Wednesday, January 20, 2016 at 2:00 pm Mountain Time

or Monday, February 1, 2016 at 12:00 pm Mountain Time

Starting Your Clinical Placement (take this before or as you start your first clinical placement):

Wednesday, January 13, 2016 at 11:00 am Mountain Time

Preparing for Primary Births (take this BEFORE you plan to start primary births):

Tuesday, January 12, 2016 at 12:00 pm Mountain Time

Applying for the NARM Exam (take this if you're planning to graduate/apply for the NARM exam this semester or next):

Tuesday, January 26, 2016 at 12:00 pm Mountain Time

I'm trying something new this semester with office hours. As in the past, I'll be reachable by phone and email during office hours (Mondays from 1-3 pm Mountain), but on January 11 and January 25, I'll have a live session available for people to "drop in" with their questions and I can answer them on screen. Maybe better? We'll try it and see. The login for these sessions is on your Upcoming Events calendar.

Photo courtesy of Andrew Vargas, CC license, Well-clothed Baby

Clinical Rounds

We have one Clinical Rounds session planned already: Tiffani Hoffman will be presenting on Trachea and Esophagus Fistula 
Tuesday, January 26, 2016 at 11:00am Mountain Time

Make sure you view the ground rules session online if you haven't attended rounds before and if you are a student who would like to present a case (recommended for students in their primary phase, required before graduation) please contact me to schedule your session!

2016: YEAR OF THE PRECEPTOR

Finally, we've declared 2016 the Year of the Preceptor. This gives us an entire year to focus on appreciating and building the field faculty that help all our students learn and grow. If you are in a clinical placement, will you please take a moment this week to let your preceptor know how much you appreciate her (or his) hard work and experience and the time they put into teaching you. Gratitude matters!

Clinical Update: November 18, 2015

Just a short update today--thank you for your patience during my time away. If you're old enough to remember that movie Four Weddings and a Funeral, just know that my vacation could have been made into a movie: A Wedding, Two ER Trips and a Day at Disneyland. Everyone is recovering from the festivities now, including my email message box--I appreciate your long-suffering as I get back on top of things.

photo courtesy of pexabay

I have just two quick things to let you know. First, we've simplified the requirements for CLNC 100 Clinical Portfolios. Now, instead of over 100 documents, you will be asked to select 20 practice directive documents--some will be specified by the syllabus, and some you can select your best. This gives you a chance to show off your best work, and gives me a better opportunity to give feedback that is explicit and constructive as you finish your clinical work. Details are in the class documents of the CLNC 100 class (Amendment to CLNC 100 Syllabus: Senior Project-Practice Portfolio). If you've already compiled your practice portfolio using the old instructions, we'll still accept those for the next few months, so don't worry. But look at the new directions--it's much simpler and will be easier to compile.

Second, you are probably aware there are about 3 weeks left in fall semester. If you are in clinical placement, please make completion of your end-of-semester evaluations a priority. We will be reminding your preceptors as well. This is a great time to check in with your preceptor(s) and yourself and see how you're progressing and what goals you'd like to set for next term. What is your next step in becoming a midwife of technical and professional excellence? If you have concerns, contact me about setting up an appointment to talk!

And one final reminder of the video resources available for CLNC 100 students--there are recorded live sessions on these topics available for viewing ANY TIME in your class documents and files:

• Clinical Orientation and Overview
• Starting Your Clinical Placement
• Preparing for Primary Births
• Applying for the NARM Exam

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday--I hope you find much to be grateful for in your lives.

Bright Blessings,

Sarah Carter

Three Pillars of a Successful Apprenticeship

Today's post comes from Madeline Lutz, who will be graduating very soon!

Having just finished what I consider to be a difficult apprenticeship and hearing from other students that most apprenticeships are often wrought with bad feelings at some point, I wanted to write a little something about how to make an apprenticeship less difficult. Midwifery is stressful and draining and exhausting, and there’s no way to get around that fact. But midwifery is also amazing and joyful and can fill you up in a way that nothing else can. I think there needs to be a model that focuses on those good things and minimizes as much as possible the negatives. As it stands, there are too many midwifery hopefuls who “can’t cut it” or who “burn out.” The main reason for this is that midwifery apprenticeships have too much of the bad and not enough of the good. I think there is a way to make it better and my belief is that the three pillars of a successful apprenticeship for both the midwife and the student are expectation, communication, and evaluation.

Expectations is the place to start with almost everything. In any business relationship it is extremely important for each party’s expectations to be clear from the outset. An understanding must be reached that is pleasing and acceptable to both parties in order to know what to shoot for and what to evaluate in the future. Examples of this in a midwifery apprenticeship are how many hours are students expected to work doing tasks for the midwife such as charting, stocking, or cleaning each week. What appointments does the midwife expect a student to come to and when will those appointments be held? How much time off call will the student have and when? There are numerous possible answers to all of these questions. There is no one way for a midwifery apprenticeship to work. The goal of discussing clear expectations is to find out how this midwife and this student want the apprenticeship to work in order to meet both of their needs.

The next pillar of a successful apprenticeship is communication. Communication is imperative to any successful business relationship; therefore, it is important that one of the expectations laid out is that if one party feels like things are not going as they had hoped, or expected, that it is ok to bring it up and that the other party will have a respectful conversation with them. Another reason for the importance of communication is that while many of the bigger expectations have been set, there will still be many little expectations that pop up in our mind along the way, such as “I think I’m ready to take heart tones during labor,” “I feel like the midwife is taking advantage of my days off,” “I don’t feel appreciated for the hard work I did cleaning the office on Saturday.” Those little thoughts that we don’t even realize are expectations can get out of control and can develop into resentment if we aren’t careful. Successful apprenticeships will have big expectations laid out in the beginning of the apprenticeship as well as little expectations being made clear over and over again through communication throughout the apprenticeship.

 

Photo Courtesy of Flickr, CC license

The final pillar of a successful apprenticeship is evaluation. It is much easier to evaluate a situation when the expectations of how the situation should be working are clear and when communication is allowed and encouraged. One of the expectations laid out in the beginning of the relationship should be a timeline for regularly scheduled meetings where each party will evaluate and discuss if their expectations are being met and make a plan to meet them if not. Regularly scheduled meetings for evaluation will allow for the clear communication necessary for both parties to feel heard, respected and cared for. Evaluation meetings are also a time to adjust expectations as oftentimes the reality is much different than that same thing in theory.

Expectation, communication, and evaluation are the three pillars to a successful apprenticeship. I think if every preceptor and student appreciated their importance, we would have less resentment and discourse in midwifery apprenticeships overall. All of us are working towards the same thing: positive birth experiences for mothers, for babies, and for families. In order for us to provide that service to more women, we need more student midwives to complete their apprenticeships. I believe if more apprenticeships were built on these three pillars, we would have more midwives, help more women, and the world would in turn become a better place.