The Importance Of Networking In Healthcare
Have you ever thought about what tools you need to invest in, in order to help facilitate your career progression and over all job satisfaction?
Olivia - “I needed support and I needed direction, something to strive for and someone to help guide me. I quickly began to understand the importance of networking. Why is this not spoken about at university? I needed to have people on side, to help facilitate my goals, hold me accountable and drive my success.”
Meeting My Australian Mentor In Manchester UK
Today I travelled four and a half hours by train to Manchester, leaving my three boys at home to meet my friend and mentor from Australia. I hadn't seen her in three years, and felt flattered that during her long service leave travels around Europe, she had contacted me to catch up. One of my many roles in Melbourne was as an Associate Midwife Unit Manager (AMUM/Band 7). It was there that I met my mentor and truly learnt my trade as a midwife.
Day 1 - Moving From A Private Hospital to Public Hospital
I remember walking into the unit as a fresh faced AMUM in 2014, and my new colleagues asking if I was the student. I was 24 years old and did look young, but it was also definitely due to the fact that I was fresh faced and rested, after practising daily yoga for three months, whilst on a bridging visa between contracts!!!!! THAT WAS THE LIFE!! It's crazy, because when I finally decided that enough was enough, and resigned from the horrendous organisation that I first worked at in Melbourne, I remember feeling so much anxiety about getting a new role, and a new organisation to take over my visa. I had anxiety around not being able to work again until my visa was sorted. The thought of having three months off in Melbourne now, practising yoga daily, is my literal dream.
On that first day, I remember attending a birth with an extremely experienced midwife. The birth was spontaneous and straightforward. After being called in for support, I stood in the background silently taking a breath of relief. I had finally found an organisation that aligned with my values and I was back where I belonged, working in a large public hospital. A relief, because I had previously spent two years working in a private obstetric hospital, where my role would have been best described as an obstetric nurse.
As a young passionate midwife and professional, I had weathered the full time obstetric nursing role, been successful in gaining a position with another organisation and finally, here I was standing watching nature take its course. In front of me was a powerful and informed birthing family bringing their baby into the world, whilst their midwife suggested a physiological third stage… I could have sworn I was dreaming.
Get yourself a mentor, it will change your career trajectory
Fast Forward A Year
This organisation stood within one of the largest growth corridors in Victoria. It was busy and the number of pregnant people accessing care there quickly overtook the facilities birthing capacity and resources. Staff turnover was high, and I spent two years holding up the birth suit with 3 other senior midwives. I learnt quickly from my peers, and knew a mentor would perhaps bring some relief, helping to guide me professionally when I needed it. Some days whilst working as a junior leader there, I would laugh, because if I didn't laugh, I would cry. It was hard.
One day during handover, one of the other UK midwives, who was also one of my mentors, gave me a handover of what can only be described as the most challenging board (if you know, you know). In front of a full room of staff ready for the night shift, I took another deep breath. The board was full and the level of client complexity was high. She explained that we had a high staff deficit and I would need to send three of my staff to run the postnatal ward. This sounds stressful, right? But this handover didn't surprise me, we had dealt with similar situations in the past few months. Only the week before I had facilitated 3 births in the day assessment unit, due to the lack of available beds and staff. Taking a deep breath, and looking around at the level of experience that I had amongst the staff, I started to allocate each pregnant person to a midwife. Swan mode was activated, thinking about how on earth I was going to cope with this level of acuity and lack of staff, and make it through the night with everyone safe. Of course, everyone thought it was the most hilarious thing ever. She had made the whole thing up, we really only had one labouring person, thank goodness for that! I realised on that day that I had made some friends for life (and how much I missed the British sense of humour).
Fast Forward Two Years
After two years of hard graft and dedication, I felt true burn out. I knew that this was short term pain for long term gain, I knew that I had to put in the hard graft, work full time hours on short 8 hour shifts, to eventually become a permanent resident of Australia and then a citizen. Nevertheless, I needed support and I needed direction, something to strive for and someone to help guide me. I quickly began to understand the importance of networking. Why is this not spoken about at university? I needed to have people on side, to help facilitate my goals, hold me accountable and drive my success.
I wanted a mentor that I could choose and connect with. Thankfully, there was a new leader on the block. She had been employed to manage the rapid growth within the organisation and improve outcomes. I observed her settling into her role and the organisation, she didn't come in with a whirlwind of change or ideas (I know that her head was full of them), but she was calm and composed, she listened and spoke when she had something important to say, her comments held weight, she was impressive. She was present on the birth suit, she even facilitated a birth with me. I remember looking up during a birth on a particularly challenging shift, and seeing her standing there with warm towels. I had never seen a manager work like this, more a business woman X midwife. I was starstruck and I wanted to learn as much as possible from her. Over the next 6 months, I worked hard to step up during times of challenge and put my hand up during times of adversity to help steer the boat. I would check in with her regularly, actively listening to the conversation that she was having with me and others, learning, mirroring, not talking too much unless I had something important to say (no one appreciates an over talker). I grew as a professional, and I did cry a lot, she reminded me of that today! But I did succeed, in fact it is with her mentorship, guidance and belief that I became a Consultant Midwife and my next adventure in Melbourne awaited me.
Get yourself a mentor, it will change your career trajectory.
Love, Olivia x
Olivia Hill | Midwife and Founder Of Aulive Ltd
As the founder of Aulive, I get to witness professionals at a fundamental turning point of their life. A decision that, I know will better them and their career. I get SO excited every time an Aulive candidates decides to take the leap.
