Update - Malaysia Placement

I have now paid my deposit and all has been confirmed for me to jetset to Malaysia late September. Although still 3 months away, I am getting excited about the thought of doing something that is completely unlike me in the sense that I am homebody, a bit of loner and hate being away from my family.

I still haven't yet received my itinerary but we have been advised to organise our passports, immunisations and learn some of the native language. All a bit exciting!

I am hoping to get more info in weeks to come so stay tuned!

Jampa lagi!!

Another Update - Malaysia

I went to the information session today and learnt a little more. Not a lot but at least more than I knew yesterday. It looks at this stage as though I am the only external midwifery student going and that most of the others are internals or nursing students, not an issue but it would have been nice to go away to a strange place at least with someone familiar!! It is most certainly going to be an opportunity for me to work on my confidence in myself as well as the nervousness that I still experience.

This trip will take place over 3 weeks, one of those will be spent at the university over there, learning about the culture and the current medical and midwifery system they have. As far as I can gather, it is very old English style midwifery and nursing as they still wear the full kit and hat. It looks very professional but says nothing about their practice at face value.

Labour suites consist of one room separated by a curtain with as many as 6 beds. Privacy is obviously minimal. The smaller of the two hospitals in Sarawak is Miri (where we will be doing our placement) and they have anywhere between 10-20 births a day. When I asked about postnatal, the response was 'there is no such thing as postnatal!' They women stay for 2 hours after they birth and are then sent home.

So 2 of the 3 weeks will be spent at this hospital which should be a culture shock for me and a true realisation of how accustomed I have come to care here in Australia. In many ways I think that maybe they have it right in a sense, in that they have minimal equpiment and send women home. Maybe the hospitals here could take note!

I am eager to see what the the birth numbers are like and I guess the numbers of sections and assisted births, if they even do them! This obviously initiates a heap of quesitons in relation to induction, augmentation, pain relief, etc etc. Is it an option over there and if it isn't, what are the statistics for birth outcomes? Obviously the health system is not as developed but maybe on the midwifery side of things, that is a good thing. All of these things I eager to learn because I do believe that knowledge (in a sense), precaution, equipment and intervention in midwifery cause more problems than they fix.

Update - Malaysia Trip

Well I am excited and pleased to say that this trip is definitely going ahead and I am definitely going!! Although extremely nervous about the prospect of not only stepping out of this country for the first time, but also into a country that doesn't have anywhere near as much as we do, I am ecstatic that I have this amazing opportunity.

I have looked extensively into the care of pregnancy and childbirth over there but to not much avail. The best information I have gained is from a friend who frequents there for holidays. Although he obviously hasn't spent much time in the hospitals, he did give me some great advice and his knowledge of what he believes the health system to be like there was insightful.

I am expecting it be an eye-opener and a real awakening as to how much I take for granted in my own life. The only thing that I have to compare to it, of course, is my life in Australia.

Tomorrow we have an information session which should shed some light. I guess despite the potential to read and study the culture via literature, the best understanding is most certainly going to be gained through firsthand experience.

My next task - organising a passport!!

A rare opportunity...

I received an email the other day, informing us as third year students, that we have the opportunity to travel to Malaysia as part of our final semester and last placement to work with locals at the hospitals over there and experience a very different culture and birthing experiences. I had actually learned of this in first year, but at that stage, was really quite nervous about stepping out in the big bad world and making myself known, particularly as a midwife.

Now, having changed immensely due to what I have experienced in the past 2 and half years, I am a lot more confident and trusting in my abilities, not only on a personal level but I guess, professionally and when I got the email was quite excited about the prospect of actually doing something completely unlike me, and grasping the opportunity whilst it was there.

So if all goes to plan, I will be heading to Malaysia at the end of September (on my birthday actually), for 3 weeks as part of my final practicum. I am excited as I have never been anywhere out of Australia but at the same, really anxious and nervous about what I am going to experience and how I will handle being away from my family and more so, about my abilities as a midwife to actually make somewhat of an impact or difference whilst I am there.

I have no idea what I will encounter... especially in regards to their management of labour and birth but I am hoping to look into it and hopefully prepare myself somewhat for it.

I will make updates as I know more and about anything that I learn about the differences between here and there.