BMidwif (Hons) Guide for New Students 2014-2015
School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work PRODUCED BY NURSING AND MIDWIFERY STUDENTS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER
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Welcome Welcome to your new adventure as a student at the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work. This booklet has been written by midwifery and nursing students to give you some advice and guidance about what to expect as a student studying and living in Manchester.
Contents A-Z for Student Midwives……………………………………….3-7 What is PASS?................................................................8 Placement Tips…………………………………………………………..9 Voices of Experience………………………………………………..10 Affirmation Ceremony……………………………………………..11 Useful Contacts………………………………………………………..12
School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work 2
A-Z for Student Midwives Academic Advisors. Every student is allocated an Academic Advisor (AA) who is a member of teaching staff from the School. They will support you throughout your degree and are there to contact if you have any problems affecting your learning.
Blackboard. Blackboard is the University’s online learning environment and is where most of your course information will be put during your studies. You will have a timetabled training session at the beginning of the semester to introduce you to Blackboard.
Council Tax. As a full-time student you are normally eligible for either council tax exemption or a discount.
Diary. Essential for all midwifery students. Study days, shifts, child care arrangements, submission dates…. You have so much going on, you need to be organised!
Eating on campus. With more than 30 cafes and restaurants there’s lots of variety on offer at a reasonable price. Why not head to University Place on a Tuesday for Mexican day or grab a salad or curry from the International Society opposite the Students’ Union?
Finance. Living on a bursary and a student loan means that money is going to be tight. To help you manage your income and expenditure have a look at advice provided by the Student Money Adviser.
Grants and Bursaries. By now you should have applied for your bursaries and student loans. If you haven’t, you need to do this straight away as it can take time to be processed. Contact the Student Support Office if you have any problems with your NHS Bursary on studentsupport.nursing@manchester.ac.uk.
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A-Z for Student Midwives Health. As a full-time student you may be entitled to help with your health care costs, such as free NHS prescriptions, NHS dental treatment and eye tests. Pick up a HC11 form from the Students’ Union or download one. You should also register with a local GP as soon as possible.
Internet and social media. With your University log-in you can access Wi-Fi on campus, and will be able to use the Internet on University computers and in Halls. As midwifery students you are guided by the Nursing and Midwifery Council Code of Conduct, and this applies to social media as well. Remember to be aware of the privacy settings on any social media or networking site and think carefully about what you post online.
Jean McFarlane Building - the home of the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work. On the ground floor you will find the Programmes Office (G.319) and Assessments Office (G.313). The Student Support Office is on the third floor (3.335b).
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A-Z for Student Midwives Keeping fit. Life as a health care student can be pretty hectic, but it’s good to find time to look after yourself. Have a look at the sports and activities on offer.
Library and Learning Commons. Blue Floor 2 in the University library is where most of the key midwifery texts are located. The Alan Gilbert Learning Commons offers individual and group study facilities as well as access to computers, scanning and printing facilities. The Library and Learning Commons run study sessions for students to develop their skills.
Manchester Student Homes (MSH).
If
you’re not planning on living in halls you can find information on rental properties from MSH. It is a letting agency funded by Universities and Colleges in Manchester, and landlords and properties have to meet certain criteria to be registered with them. They will also mediate between students and landlords if there are any problems.
National Union of Students (NUS). The Students’ Union (SU) can be found in the Steve Biko Building on Oxford Road. On the ground floor is the Advice Centre which offers support with all student matters. Once you have registered at the university you will receive an NUS card that gives you discount in many shops. You can also get additional discounts with an NUS extra card.
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A-Z for Student Midwives Occupational Health. Before you can start on placement you need to have health clearance from Occupational Health and you may need to arrange vaccinations. Occupational Health appointments are very important throughout University and health care careers - make sure you attend them!
PASS. Peer Assisted Study Sessions—read more about these on page 8!
Queues in Welcome Week. Be prepared to wait in line to collect your Student ID card. Make sure you plan ahead and get to events early.
Reading. Many recommended text books are available from the University library. You may be sent a reading list for the course or for different modules - the books can be quite expensive so ask your PASS Leaders if they recommend buying a particular book.
Student Services Centre. Located in Burlington Street, this is where you go for information on finance, registration and council tax. See Q, you have been warned! They will also have a helpdesk at the Welcome Week Fair.
Transport. The stretch of road covering Didsbury, Withington, Fallowfield, Rusholme, the University and the city centre is the busiest bus route in Europe and buses run 24/7. The Oxford Road Link bus (number 147) operates Monday – Friday, 7am - 6pm, between Sackville Street and Oxford Road campus zones and is free if you show your Student ID card. The nearest train station to campus is Oxford Road, and the other train stations in the city centre are Piccadilly and Victoria. There are cycle lanes down Oxford/Wilmslow Road, and loads of places to lock up your bike on campus.
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A-Z for Student Midwives Uniform. The uniform is designed to be practical - it’s definitely not a fashion statement. It shouldn’t be fitted and when you put it on you should feel professional, not scruffy. It’s the first step towards you feeling like a midwife.
Vacation Accommodation. Term dates for midwifery courses differ from standard University courses, so if you are living in University halls you need to check the terms of agreement to see if you have your room/flat over the vacation periods. If you need to book extra weeks you can do this by contacting your Halls of Residence directly or checking the information on the Accommodation Office website.
Welcome Week. You will be given lots of information so make sure to keep a notepad and pen with you at all times! Head to the Start of Year Fair to join societies and sports clubs and look out for MidSoc, NurSoc and HEAL (Healthcare Alliance Society). Welcome Week will include course related activities, events on campus and many new people to meet, so be prepared to be busy!
X-tras. You may wish to buy a fob watch before you start, but we suggest you wait until you start University and check with your PASS Leader for further guidance before buying a tourniquet, tape measure or nurse’s scissors.
Young Persons Railcard (YPR). All full time students are eligible for a YPR. It’s recommended that you get a railcard if you travel by train during the year as it can save a third off a standard rail fare.
ZZZZZ. Make sure that you get plenty of sleep!
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What is PASS?
Peer Assisted Study Sessions, aka PASS, are timetabled group study sessions led by two third year students who have been trained to be PASS Leaders.
You will be assigned to a group of around 12 first year students from your course and the PASS Leaders help you develop study skills, recap difficult topics and discuss queries or concerns in an informal setting.
PASS is a good way to meet and socialise with others in your cohort and get advice from third year students.
There will be a Welcome Lunch on Tuesday 16th September 2014, 12-2pm, to meet your PASS Leaders on the second floor of the Jean McFarlane Building.
“The PASS leaders were very approachable and had clearly put a lot of effort into the sessions. I really looked forward to every PASS session and I thought there was a really good mix between learning and discussion” “Our PASS leaders were very approachable and friendly. They always answered all of our questions and helped us settle into the course”
“Informal atmosphere to ask questions about all aspects of University”
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Placement Tips Placements can be daunting so we’ve put together 10 top tips of things you should think about before you start for the first time.
1. Phone your placement area at least two weeks in advance to get your rota.
2. A practice run to your placement is always a good idea! This will help familiarise yourself with the route and the time it takes to get there.
3. Take a packed lunch on your first day in case you are too busy to find a place to buy something to eat.
4. Save your travel tickets because you will need them to make a placement travel claim from NHS Bursaries.
5. Safety First - you will be working unsociable hours so be sensible - check out transport in advance, keep to well lit roads and make sure friends know when you should be home.
6. Question Time - don’t be afraid to ask questions! This is your chance to find out from the professionals and will show that you are keen and interested.
7. What Not To Wear - find out the dress code of your placement/trust. Make sure your uniform is clean and presentable - don’t forget your name badge and ID.
8. Make sure you get your hours signed off regularly and make photocopies of all of your documents before you submit them. Make sure you keep your paperwork up-to-date - don’t leave it until the end of the placement!
9. Read your trust policies and know where to find them - you will practice according to trust guidelines.
10. Enjoy yourself! Your placement is for you so make the most of it. 9
Voices of Experience “Moving into halls was exciting but nerve racking as I didn't know who I was going to be sharing with but my new flat mates were very welcoming and we all stuck together to find our way around. I was really nervous about starting placement as I had no idea what to expect but just be honest and if you don't know, just say. I quickly made friends on the first day of University and it helped that I recognized a few faces from the induction day. Don't be afraid to just go up to someone and talk to them. It will ease your nerves as you will most probably both be worrying about the same things!” Claire, Sept 2012 student
“Enjoy first year, embrace student life as much as possible. It is all about learning to strike a balance and staying vigilant with the course - don't allow your social life to impact upon your studies, but do go out and have fun! Ask senior students for help, support and advice - we have been there and are the best people to ask!” Lisa, Sept 2012 “My experience was a rollercoaster. The nerves in the first few weeks were unbelievable, and especially before starting placement. However, so far it has been the most rewarding experience in my life and although sometimes the course is very challenging, I have made life long friends and I wouldn't change it for the world.” Annabel, Sept 2011 “Always keep a banana in your bag.” Ellisha, Sept 2011 “The first year of my midwifery experience was extremely exciting but also daunting - I did not know what to expect or how to find my way around campus. With lots of support from students in my cohort, other cohorts, clinical mentors and the midwifery lecture staff, the experience became more enjoyable and exciting. Three years on, I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at the University, I have gained essential knowledge and skills needed for midwifery and I genuinely believe I have met friends for life.” Kate, Sept 2012
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Affirmation Ceremony
The School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work will be hosting a Welcome Event for all new midwifery and nursing students on Tuesday 14th October 2014.
Look out for more details in September!
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Useful Contacts Burlington Society (for mature students)
School Reception
www.burlington.manchester.ac.uk
Open Monday to Friday 8:30am-4:30pm Jean McFarlane Building
Bus Information
0161 306 0260
0161 244 1000 http://www.tfgm.com/
Student Finance England
Disability Support Office Second floor, University Place
0845 300 50 90
www.direct.gov.uk/en/ EducationAndLearning
0161 275 7512 @ dso@manchester.ac.uk
Student Services Centre Open Monday to Friday 10am-4pm
IT Services
Burlington Street
0161 306 5544
0161 275 5000
@
@
ssc@manchester.ac.uk
it-servicedesk@manchester.ac.uk
NHS Student Bursary
0300 330 1345 or 0191 279 0570
www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/816.aspx
Student Support Office Room 3.335b, Jean McFarlane Building
0161 306 7717/7725
@
studentsupport.nursing@manchester.ac.uk
Occupational Health The Mill, Sackville Street
0161 306 5806
School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work Jean McFarlane Building University of Manchester Oxford Road Manchester M13 9PL http://www.nursing.manchester.ac.uk/ Ug.midwifery@manchester.ac.uk 12