Midwifery lecturer helping students learn first-hand about new support role

Midwifery students will benefit from learning first-hand about a new support role in the profession from one of their lecturers who is helping embed the post at local health providers.

University of Northampton Midwifery Senior Lecturer Cheryl Thomas has also been instrumental in getting the role of the Professional Midwifery Advocate (PMA) role up and running at the University.

Cheryl, formerly a matron and supervisor of midwives, recently completed the PMA ‘bridging’ module to prepare students for this important new role.

The PMA post replaces what used to be the midwifery supervisor. The PMA is on hand to make sure midwifery staff receive training and support during their careers and act as an exemplar of best practice to midwives.

The PMA will also help nurses prepare for the three yearly ‘MOT’ of their skills, knowledge and professional competence, known as ‘revalidation’.

Cheryl will now work toward embedding what the PMA role is into the curriculum for midwives at University of Northampton Midwifery. This will include:

• To enable student midwives to engage with restorative supervision from the start of their programme of study in preparation for qualification and beyond
• To adopt a collaborative approach to education and supervision between the University and local clinical placement providers
• To assure professional credibility of the PMA role in the educational setting, with lecturer/PMA attendance at monthly meetings with each local clinical placement provider to promote communication, collaboration and co-learning from clinical incidents/practice
• Offer student midwives monthly optional group restorative supervision sessions with the lecturer/PMA.

Cheryl has also just embarked on discussions with Milton Keynes University Hospital and liaises with their team to ensure that the role at MKUH aligns with University’s PMA training for student midwives.

Cheryl said: “As a PMA who is passionate about the role, I feel it is imperative to embed the importance and value that the PMA has into the curriculum at University of Northampton.

“Our students will learn first-hand what the role is and how to get the most out of their PMA to bolster their career development.”

For more about the Midwifery degree at University of Northampton, see our website.