Marian Masterson with one day old Sean William Kane who was born at South West Acute Hospital RMG09
BEING a reassuring and supportive face on the maternity ward is the ideal job for healthcare assistant, Marian Masterson. Her job involves supporting midwives to provide care to new mums and their babies, before, during and after childbirth in the labour wards, maternity theatres and post-natal wards.
The 63-year-old Enniskillen woman first started working with Care of the Elderly before being transferred to the old Erne Hospital in June 1993 and then to SWAH when it opened four years ago.
“There’s certainly great variety in the job as you’re with the mums at both the antenatal and post-natal stage. You go up to the labour ward and help them out before and after the delivery. The role is very important and also very rewarding.
“When I come in in the mornings, I serve the patients their breakfast, assist them with showering, help them with feeding their baby. The good thing is our shifts are 12 hours so they’re not faced with too many new faces at what can be a stressful time.
“This means that mostly you are with the mums and dads as they get to know their baby, showing them how to bath and feed them. This can be very overwhelming for new mums who can feel a bit lost so you’re there to encourage them and prepare them for further down the line after the mums have left hospital.”
Ms Masterson says the key part of her job is making her patients and their families feel as relaxed and put them at ease as much as possible.
“There’s obviousy a lot of patient contact involved and anything the mums-to-be and new mums need us for we’re always there to help. Every woman is different and you have to quickly learn to adjust to their needs and know when they want you there and when they don’t.
“This is particularly important for those women who have never been in hospital before so it’s vital that you’re constantly reassuring them and know how to make them feel as comfortable as possible.
“For first time mums it can be a very daunting experience. As a mum of two myself, I know how lost you can feel when you’re learning to change nappies and breast feed for the first time. But while it can be a very scary time for first time mums also it’s a very precious time as they get to know their new babies.
“They always tell us that they’re very grateful for all that we do to help them. It’s a very special time in their lives and so it’s a privilege to be a part of it.
“Of course the Christmas and New Year arrivals are always exciting. One of my own sons was a New Year baby 37 years ago so I always like to be at working then as it’s always a very special time.
Ms Masterson says her job feels particularly rewarding when all the thank you cards arrive in but mostly when she meets the new mums after they leave hospital.
“It’s always lovely to see them coming back in to hospital with their baby for a post-natal visit and they’re all excited. If you meet them in town, they’ll be so thankful for all that you did for them. However, you see that many mums passing through here that sometimes you’ll remember their names and sometimes you won’t.
“I take great pride in the job and get huge job satisfaction especially when you see how happy the mums are when they leave hospital. Also it’s lovely when you meet them out and about and see that everything is going well and how much the babies have grown.”
After making the transition from the Erne to SWAH, Ms Masterson says patients are always very impressed with the facilities on offer at new Enniskillen hospital.
“The single rooms are fantastic as it allows them to have their own facilities, get a good night’s sleep and have private consultations with doctors and family members. The fact that we no longer have maternity wards makes a huge difference to mums and dads as it’s a very personal experience.”
However Ms Masterson acknowledges that not every story ends well.
“Of course we have had difficult and sad times here too and to cope with that you just have to be as supportive as you can and be there to listen to the parents if they want to talk.
“I would definitely recommend a job in maternity as a very rewarding career option as you’re dealing with people during one of the most significant periods in their life.”
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