St Peter's behind the scenes: Meet the midwife

Jun 12 2009 By Suzy Talbot

IN THE second part of the Herald and News series on life behind the scenes at Ashford and St Peter's Hospital we meet midwife, 28-year-old Emer Kelly.

She initially worked as a healthcare assistant in Ireland before beginning a degree at the University of Surrey in 2001. She became a midwife in March 2008.

“I began working on the labour ward as a general nurse in obstetrics theatres and the high dependency unit in September 2004. This job opportunity was aimed at nurses who wanted to pursue a career in midwifery and the plan was to work on the labour ward for a year and then commence midwifery training. However, I worked on the labour ward for two years as a nurse and then began my training as a midwife in September 2006.”

Although a demanding job with lots of responsibility, it is a very privileged role. I enjoy the contact with women, building relationships with them and their families. I enjoy the challenge of the role and the opportunity it brings to develop new skills. There is immense job satisfaction through enhancing women and their families’ experience of pregnancy and childbirth.

I enjoy the challenge of the role and developing new skills and there is the opportunity to work with different health professionals from obstetricians, anaesthetists, operating department practitioners, nurses, health care assistants, students – and the list goes on.”