Preparing to attend

To get the most out of your time, you will want to integrate with the staff there. One suggestion is to bring snacks to share with the staff.

If there is no 5th year student rostered eg Nights, Weekends or between cycles, you are able to use this time for labours and births and it would be good to watch the Video ‘Progress of Fetal Head through the pelvis’ on CANVAS.

Otherwise, as a 6th year rostered to birthing suite, you will be attached to the Obstetric Registar OnCall. You will get to do acute assessments so you should also refresh yourself on ‘How to Exam Pregnant Abdomen’.

When you arrive

If you are hoping for births, you should go straight to birthing suite at 7:30am and work with the midwives. Introduce yourself to the charge midwife, who will be sitting at the computer in the hub by the whiteboard. Tell them you are the med student and would like to be involved in labours and births but are happy to help out in any other way.

If you are going to be with the registrar, go to morning handover in the Maternity seminar room at 8am.

What you might be able to do from the logbook

• Midwifery Assessment of a Labour and Birth Experience

• Examination of a Pregnant Abdomen

• Assist in a Caesarean Section

• Examination of a placenta

(See Page 4-6)

Other opportunities to look out for

• Learn how to consent for surgical procedures

• Insertion of a Urinary Cathetar

• Examination of a Newborn

• Management of Third Stage / PPH

• Assessment of a Perineum / 3rd Degree Tear