Season 2 Episode 1 - The One With Midwife Queensly - Licence To Practise Podcast Season 2 - Nigeria to UK - IELTS
** Sit back and listen, it's time for Licence to Practise by IELTS Medical.
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KdHNw7dp-0
In Season 2, Episode 1 - The One With Midwife, Queensly - Christina has a chat with Queensly a UK Registered Midwife who moved to Gloucester from Nigeria and is now practising as a midwife.
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Season 2, Episode 1 - The One With Midwife Queensly
Christina:
Hello, and welcome to another episode of Licence to Practice from IELTS Medical. Today we're going to be talking to a midwife from Nigeria. She really gives a lot of great advice and gives really good insight into the differences between working as a midwife in Nigeria and working as a midwife in the UK. So let's give her a call. Hi.
Queensly:
Hello.
Christina:
Hi.
Queensly:
Are you alright?
Christina:
Yes. Thank you. You?
Queensly:
Good, thank you. Doing well.
Christina:
Good, good. Well, thank you so much for coming on the podcast and sharing your experience. I'm really looking forward to hearing your story and what you've got to say.
Queensly:
My pleasure.
Christina:
So if you could just start by just telling us a bit about you.
Queensly:
Okay. Yes. My name is Queensly [Ikweva 00:00:55]. I was trained in Nigeria and I moved to the UK in the year 2018, February. And I've been practicing as a midwife for a little over... well, less than a year now, in the Royal Surrey Hospital in Guildford. Yes. And that's it.
Christina:
So did you train as a nurse first, and then you changed to midwifery?
Queensly:
No, I actually trained as a midwife first. I did three years of midwifery, yes. And then 18 months of nursing. So you can have it either way, it doesn't really matter. I trained as a midwife first, yes.
Christina:
All right. Great. So how did you find the process, then? Obviously everyone does it differently. How did you find sort of the move and doing all the exams and everything, whilst being over here?
Queensly:
Exactly. Yeah. I agree. It's quite a daunting process, as well. But I think when I moved here first, I never really had plans of moving. I came here because I got married, and my husband got a job here, so I moved. And that's why I started quite late. But really, the whole process takes commitment. And I think I found it a lot easier doing my IELTS here, doing my CBT and OSCE here. So I found it a lot easier than people who actually have to do this in other countries, or from the countries they're actually coming from. Yeah, I think the main constraint is financial constraints and time, as well. And you have to be very determined, as well. But I think I found it quite straightforward, really. Yeah.
Christina:
So did you already have sort of a job lined up when you moved, or did you come sort of not knowing what you were going to do?
Queensly:
Yeah, actually I came in not knowing what I was going to do, at first. Of course, I did know I was going to eventually practice midwifery, but I didn't know where to start from. I had just a bit of information, really, before starting anything. But then, I think most of everything I did was actually when I came here, when I came to the UK, basically. Yes.
Christina:
Yeah. And you just got straight into it. So you said you did the IELTS.
Queensly:
Yes, I did the IELTS.
Christina:
Why did you pick the IELTS over the OET?
Queensly:
I don't know. I think at first, like I said, it was the cost. Because the OET, I found it quite... it was quite expensive. And then I did the IELTS. I think I did IELTS once. And when I did the IELTS was when the scores were... when you had to get like a 7 in each category, which is listening, reading, writing, and speaking. And I think I got to 6.5 in my first writing. And that was before the rule was changed to getting a 6.5 and them allowing you to go through. And I looked at the OET materials. I mean, even if it was for professionally [centered 00:03:44] health workers, I've kind of found the IELTS a lot more, I don't know... I could understand the IELTS more than the OET. I don't know if you get me.
Christina:
Yeah, yeah.
Queensly:
Yeah. And again, another factor I was concerned with was the cost, as well. I didn't really want to spend 300 pounds on OET where I can spend 100 plus for IELTS. And besides, I'd already done it once, and I thought I could just give it a go again. So I found it quite... like I said, depends on an individual basis. Those would prefer the OET because the writing is a lot easier, where you have to write a referral letter, as opposed to the IELTS, where you don't know what you're going to write. Topics are not based on a specific thing. It could come from any background, basically. But I think I found the IELTS a lot easier, and the cost, as well. And that was the main reason why I chose IELTS.
Christina:
Yeah. Oh, fair enough. Yeah, that makes sense. Yeah, everyone's different. Everyone's got their own reasons.
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Christina:
So obviously you've practiced for a long time before you moved over here. How are you finding it? Are there any sort of major differences?
Queensly:
Oh, yeah. I mean, there's quite a lot. Apart from the cultural difference, that's a big issue, especially from midwives coming in from developing countries. And they'll find that they probably get a bit of a culture shock, at first. Yeah. Big cultural difference. A lot to adapt to. And yes, the guidelines and policies are a lot different. I mean, the first day... It was quite challenging the first day because half of the terms, half of the terminologies, half of the abbreviations... And I kept asking, "But what's the meaning of this? What's the meaning of [DS 00:06:09]? What's the meaning of... What's [inaudible 00:06:09]? What's that?" It's something that you actually know. Terminologies are different. Abbreviations are different. It's a whole learning curve. I remember telling someone that I had to do a year-plus worth of reading in advance, a month or two. Yeah.
Queensly:
Guidelines, policies, are quite different. Coming from a developing country, because I trained in Nigeria, some parts of Nigeria don't have the computerized monitoring for a fetal heart. It's called CTG, cardiotocography for long, but we just call it CTG. And I had never seen one, touched one. I mean, I've done it in theory, but I've never had to practice or read the pattern. And that was the first time I ever saw something like that. I knew I was going to use it, so I had to do a short course, as well. [crosstalk 00:06:53]-
Christina:
Yeah. But then actually doing it is-
Queensly:
Yeah. So that's one. Yeah.
Christina:
So it's been a massive learning curve, then.
Queensly:
And another one is... Sorry?
Christina:
It's been a massive learning curve for you, then, even when you're practicing.
Queensly:
Yes. It has been a learning curve. I mean, mental health support, safeguarding, water birth, all of these are firsts. They're all a first for me, basically. Yeah. And skills, as well. Skills I'm used to... Because with being short-staffed, where I'm from, we tend to do a whole lot of skills. And I find that I can't do them here. And they're all doctors-only skills, and you dare not attempt them unless in dire emergency situations when you're... if you're going to be [inaudible 00:07:39] to save the life of the woman, basically. Yeah. So that's one, actually. And then, having more responsibility as a midwife, as well. And being more of an advocate for a woman. And having a very big say in the care that you give to a woman, basically. Yeah. It's been a very good experience, I have to say. This has been a wonderful experience.
Christina:
Oh, good. Well, I'm glad to hear that. I'm glad it's been good, and I'm glad you're enjoying it. So do you have any advice that... I mean, to be honest, from what you've just said, I feel like that's all advice. But do you have any sort of final words of wisdom for anybody else that might be thinking of moving over here to practice midwifery?
Queensly:
Yeah, totally. I mean, first is, you have to be immensely determined. You need to be sure this is what you want to do, and you need to see it through to the end, okay? It's not particularly easy, especially if you're going to compare the midwifery pathway to the nursing pathway, it's not as easy as the nurses have it. So you need to be extra, extra determined, but it's totally doable as well. And you need to put your finances together.
Queensly:
It costs a lot of money because you find that you're not going to be reimbursed if you... because midwives tend to sponsor themselves, to go through the exams. You have to come to the UK to write your OSCE. Very few actually get offers and job lined up before they actually get here. So if you're waiting for that, you probably may take longer. So you should get your finances straight, and prepare for your OSCE. Fund your OSCE yourself, and then come in while you are... after you've written your OSCE, you get your PIN, I think, within a month. You get your PIN, yeah, within a month. And you spend a lot of the month-
Christina:
Yeah. I think it's fairly quick.
Queensly:
-yeah, getting a job. Looking for a job. And you will get one. I've met a lot of people who've actually gotten jobs through this route. So just be determined and see it through to the end, and be sure this is actually what you want to do. Yeah. Basically. And work hard. Yeah. And for the OSCE, as well, make sure... The courses are really, really important. Sometimes when you come to the course you're like, "Oh, this is actually doable." But if you don't know, you'll just be in the dark. So please attend courses. Very important. Yes.
Christina:
Yeah. Well, that's all great advice. And yeah, it's been really interesting, hearing your story. And yeah, I'm glad that you feel it was the right decision and that you're enjoying your new role as a midwife in the UK. Thank you so much for coming on. And thank you for sharing your story and all that great advice, there at the end.
Queensly:
No worries. That's okay.
Christina:
And yeah, I hope you keep enjoying it. And good luck with everything.
Queensly:
Oh, thank you. It was my pleasure being here. Thank you for having me.
Christina:
No problem. Speak to you soon. Goodbye.
Queensly:
Bye. Thanks again. Bye.
Christina:
Thank you so much for listening. And thank you again to Queensly, who has come on and shared her story and given loads of great advice. And I hope that it has inspired a few more people to get the ball rolling and make that move to the UK, if that's something that you want to do. We will see you next time. And as always, to your success.
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