Attrition in university student midwives, preceptor midwives (Killingley 2016), and early leavers remains a significant problem, which creates more pressure on the remaining depleted workforce. While health promotion has been high on the agenda of NHS provision to educate the population at large, the wellbeing of those who provide the care has been neglected. Lack of resilience is a main contributing factor to why student midwives leave their education and why midwives leave their profession - it should therefore be embedded into the curriculum in Higher Education Institutions (Warren and Hunter 2014). In view of this, I have combined the ‘Study well’ module designed by David Westley and his psychology department into the personal tutor and practice elements of our course. The ‘Study well’ module was produced in recognition of the fact that stress of learning is high pressured and new challenges can bring stress, uncertainty, and worry in addition to any personal stresses that students may also be experiencing outside of university life. Unfortunately, stress cannot be prevented - it is an inevitable part of life, but help can prepare student midwives for times that are difficult in clinical and theoretical areas by enhancing their wellbeing and resilience while they study at University. The ‘Study well’ module is designed to enhance the students happiness and wellbeing, drawing on scientific research regarding the strengthening of physical, psychological and social wellbeing. The programme works from the philosophy that positive change takes time, and the best way to build resilience and wellbeing is through small changes to your routines and habits. Therefore, a number of small steps (available on their learning platform) are designed to enhance wellbeing in a specific area of life. Each step is designed to bring benefits and more resilience on its own. However, since areas of the students’ lives are interconnected, the more changes they make in different areas, the stronger overall happiness, wellbeing and potential to meet their own goals may become.
The steps are put into a suggested order, but the students are free to try them in any order they see fit. It is suggested to try to avoid doing too much in one go (enforcing the message that change takes time!). Each step taken is one step further toward building a happier, healthier and more resilient ‘student’.
The main aim is to engage the students to believe that wellbeing is not a strategy or process to use only in times of anxiety or stress, but that it should be linked with who they are. They should complete their programme armed with the coping mechanisms, skills and self-awareness to thrive in heights of activity for two main aims - to be the best they can for women and families and, most importantly, to remain healthy and happy.
The module is embedded into the practice element of the programme and reflections on clinical experience, but instead of focusing on practice issues from the women’s or institution’s perspective, it emphasises how the student felt in any given situation. The simple goal is to use the study well module as a catalyst to build resilience, which in turn supports learning, professional and personal growth, and mental health.
The wonderful added extra in the implementation of this is that staff and lecturers have become engaged in their own mindfulness which has measurable benefits for the University and for healthy futures of our own workforce.
If you are interested in learning more, download the Buddhify app (see ‘App-date’ , p.8) which is a mindfulness app for meditation which suits your time allowance and activity.
You may be surprised at just how much it improves your positivity.
