A recent survey by Job Medic found that nurses decided to join the profession because; they had a desire to help and care for others (61%), they thought they would find the job fulfilling (53%), they didn’t want to be stuck at a desk job (21%) and were inspired by a friend or family member (24%).

25% are now considering a completely different career path outside of healthcare and only 15% of nurses would encourage their children or young relatives to follow in their footsteps.

For the full survey findings click here:  https://hiring.careerbuilder.co.uk/download-ebook-healthcare-survey-2018

It would appear that people go into this profession with an aim to embark on a meaningful career where they can make a positive impact on peoples’ lives. Nursing and midwifery are physically challenging and interesting jobs, everyday is different, so it’s a good choice for someone who doesn’t suit an office job. Healthcare students are regularly inspired by people they know who have joined the profession; it’s a looked-up-to job, and a highly respected profession in society.  So why would nurses discourage the younger generation to join them?

Generally, healthcare workers aren’t dissatisfied with their job role; it’s the system that they work within. The NHS can at times be a physically and mentally tough environment to work in. In incredibly simple terms, this sums up why:

 staffing problems + more patients to treat = higher workload + burn out

For various complex reasons, the NHS has a difficult time recruiting and retaining its staff in the current political and economic climate. Because of this, we don’t always have the amount of staff we need on every shift. Less staff, combined with more patients than ever to look after, means the individual healthcare worker now has a higher workload. If the workload is physically too much for one person, this causes high levels of stress, and in some cases, complete burnout. Which leads to people feeling dissatisfied, undervalued, and in the worst cases, leave their professional all together.

So, why, may you ask, would you become a healthcare professional? The job isn’t for everyone, but if you really feel that caring for people is your calling in life, then it’s something you might not be able to ignore. I’ll tell you my story, and why I’ve decided to stick with it, and maybe it will help you understand why people still want to become nurses and midwives and doctors and healthcare professionals.

I wanted to be a clinical psychologist, so I set off to the University of Southampton at 19, ready to embark on a career in this field, with all the relevant work experience and qualifications behind me.I’d studied at a grammar school, stayed on to do my A-Levels, and then went straight to university. I’d never considered a career in healthcare because unless it was medicine, it wasn’t academic enough to be considered by my school. I had good grades, so I should follow through and get a good, academic,well-paid job. As good as this all sounded in theory, the reality was different. In my first year of university, as much as I was enjoying myself(who wouldn’t be living in an area that sells £1 double vodkas), I was restless. Something was missing. I was bored of studying and constantly having my head in a book, studying for exams followed by coursework, followed by more exams.

I knew I wanted to work in something medical or clinical, I found visiting hospitals fascinating, and the human body and mind always interested me.

So I went and volunteered in my local hospital, where I was asked by my volunteer coordinator, Malcolm, “If I could place you in your ideal job, what would it be?”

To which I replied, “I’d love to be a midwife but I’ve heard that it’s rubbish pay and awful hours”.

Malcolm suggested I try out a shift there and see what I thought about it. My first shift I was fortunate enough to see my first baby being born, and for me that was it. There was no going back. I remember sitting on the bus coming home and just being in absolute awe of what I’d just witnessed.

After that I was completely obsessed. I watched every television programe about midwifery, I read all the books I could find and I religiously researched everything I could about midwifery applications. I carried on studying and completed my Psychology degree as I also enjoyed it and found it interesting, and ideally I’d love to combine my two interests in the future.

I went straight from finishing one undergraduate degree to starting another one, but you couldn’t compare the experience in anyway. My psychology degree consisted of a few lectures and tutorials spread out during the week, whereas my midwifery degree was split into blocks of intense days of back-to-back lectures and then months of 12.5 hour placement shifts, were I was learning on the job. I worked part time as well, so it was a pretty crazy three years.

Being a midwife is really, really hard. But it’s also incredibly rewarding. I couldn’t imagine getting the same feelings I get after a good day at work in any other job. The working conditions are difficult, but I’m part of an amazing team, and there’s nothing like the support you get from your other midwives. The stress levels are high, I’m constantly rushed off my feet and I don’t always get a break, but somehow the thank you cards and the kind words and the hugs and the tears of happiness really are worth it. It all sounds very cheesy, but it does make you feel all warm and happy inside after you’ve delivered a baby for a lovely couple.

So here’s my top 5 reasons for becoming a midwife/healthcare professional:

1. It’s very rewarding – you make a direct impact on peoples’ lives
2. It’s challenging – everyday is different and interesting
3. You’ll never know everything – you’re always learning
4. There’s opportunities for progression and development – e.g. case loading midwife, home birth team, mental health specialist etc
5. You can travel with your skills – UK trained healthcare professionals are sought after all over the world

And in response to my initial thoughts on midwifery, the pay isn’t all that bad and you get used to the hours!

For the full survey findings click here: https://hiring.careerbuilder.co.uk/download-ebook-healthcare-survey-2018

Check out my blog www.lottielivewell.com for more posts on my life as a midwife and how to look after yourself as a healthcare professional.

Love Lottie