Courage, commitment and resilience: Traits of student midwives who fail and retake modules

Abstract

In the context of staff retention in maternity services in the UK, the concept of resilience has a high profile. The ever more complex demands of contemporary midwifery practice in the UK lead some midwives to make the difficult decision to leave the profession, with the top five reasons being: dissatisfaction with staffing levels; dissatisfaction with the quality of care they were able to give; excessive workload; lack of managerial support; and poor working conditions. It is estimated that around 20% of students who commence the pre-registration midwifery programme will not qualify to become a midwife; reasons for non-completion of studies include deciding it is the wrong career choice, financial difficulties and family circumstances. Academic failure, however, is not cited as a key reason for leaving the course. This article shares the stories of three students who failed and then retook a theory module during their pre-registration midwifery programme. The students show courage in their willingness to publicly discuss their experiences; commitment to their chosen profession by retaking the module; and resilience by persevering despite the additional emotional and financial demands of their situation. A fourth student offers advice for others who might find themselves in the same situation.