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PRODUCED BY NURSING AND MIDWIFERY STUDENTS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER

BMidwif (Hons) Guide for New

Students 2014-2015

School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work

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Welcome

School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work

Contents

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 study-

ing and living in Manchester.

A-Z for Student Midwives……………………………………….3-7

What is PASS?................................................................8

Placement Tips…………………………………………………………..9

Voices of Experience………………………………………………..10

Affirmation Ceremony……………………………………………..11

Useful Contacts………………………………………………………..12

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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 se-

mester 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 arrange-

ments, 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 vari-

ety 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 pro-

vided 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 individ-

ual 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 Universi-

ties 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 vaccina-

tions. Occupational Health appointments are very important throughout Universi-

ty 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 recom-

mend 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, Rush-

olme, 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 – Fri-

day, 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 Ox-

ford Road, and the other train stations in the city centre are Piccadilly and Victo-

ria. 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 state-

ment. 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 socie-

ties and sports clubs and look out for MidSoc, NurSoc and HEAL (Healthcare Alli-

ance 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 guid-

ance 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?

“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”

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 top-

ics 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.

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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 famil-

iarise 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 ac-

cording to trust guidelines.

10. Enjoy yourself! Your placement is for you so

make the most of it.

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Voices of Experience

“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

“Always keep a banana in your bag.” Ellisha, Sept 2011

“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

“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

“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

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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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Burlington Society (for mature students)

www.burlington.manchester.ac.uk

Bus Information

0161 244 1000

http://www.tfgm.com/

Disability Support Office

Second floor, University Place

0161 275 7512

@ dso@manchester.ac.uk

IT Services

0161 306 5544

@ it-servicedesk@manchester.ac.uk

NHS Student Bursary

0300 330 1345 or 0191 279 0570

www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/816.aspx

Occupational Health

The Mill, Sackville Street

0161 306 5806

School Reception

Open Monday to Friday 8:30am-4:30pm

Jean McFarlane Building

0161 306 0260

Student Finance England

0845 300 50 90

www.direct.gov.uk/en/

EducationAndLearning

Student Services Centre

Open Monday to Friday 10am-4pm

Burlington Street

0161 275 5000

@ ssc@manchester.ac.uk

Student Support Office

Room 3.335b, Jean McFarlane Building

0161 306 7717/7725

@ studentsupport.nursing@manchester.ac.uk

Useful Contacts

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