Re: [ozmidwifery] (no subject)

[Nikki Macfarlane]

Tina,   I am so envious! I patiently (or maybe not so patiently!) await the day when I can begin calling myself a midwife. Living here in Singapore the direct entry midwifery programs were simply unattainable for me. Since we did not know how long we would be living overseas I decided to start the Bachelor of Nursing Science degree offered by distance learning - i am so thankful that i started when I did. I am now in my final stretch. Just 3 semesters to go of a 6 year part time course done by distance learning. It has been a long slog, challenging to study nursing by distance particularly without any peer group for support at all. Returning to placements has been interesting, but also difficult to arrange to say the least given that i have had 3 young children throughout the whole course and now have a fourth to add to the mix. Breastfeeding my youngest two, fitting that in with placements and residentials, exams and essays, maanging to work as a doula and build a practice here, develop a training organisation for doulas and childbirth educators, all has made this a fascinating journey.   Now with only 3 placements ahead of me it is starting to really seem achievable. I am off to Townsville again in July with my newest baby and then 4 weeks of placement - if I can find somewhere in Qld that will take me! I am really starting to feel that i may one day be ready to apply to do my Midwifery post grad. How I am going to get my 12 months practical experience and then organise 20 weeks clinical experience is beyond me but perhaps something will pass that will make it achievable - everythign else seems to have fallen into place when it was needed. Oh how I envy those who were able to do direct entry. Saying all of that, it has surprised me how much I have enjoyed nursing - I never would have believed that i would one day be saying that palliative care is as fascinating to me as birth. Two ends of the spectrum and each with so many parallels to the other.   Well done to the work you have achieved so far Tina. I hope one day soon to have the same privilege as the rest of you with being able to provide women with the choices they wish to explore. Until then, I work beside wonderful caregivers and provide the emotional support that so many are looking for during their pregnancy and births.   Nikki Macfarlane Childbirth International www.childbirthinternational.com [EMAIL PROTECTED] Distance training for the world's childbirth educators and doulas ----- Original Message ----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, June 16, 2003 8:55 PM Subject: [ozmidwifery] (no subject) Hello fellow ozmidders.... just a note to say hello to you all and to say I am still here lurking in cyber space. I have just completed my pain/pharmacology exam today (YEHAAA)...feeling great to have now completed 3 of the 6 semesters of the B Mid...yes I am half way thru the course, can you all believe that!!!!!! I still can't. I pinch myself every day, to make sure I'm awake and not dreaming. It only seemed like yesterday that I sat at the NZCOM conference in