Holly Roque was torn between becoming a paediatric nurse or a midwife.

When she witnessed child birth for the first time while studying nursing, she knew that midwifery was her calling.

Ms Roque said: “Nursing and midwifery takes time and dedication, but I believe it is worth it.

“If you have a passion for helping people and wanting to make a difference in someone’s life, a career in the medical field is the best choice, in my view.”

The 24-year-old, from St George’s, spoke to The Royal Gazette in the run-up to International Midwives’ Day tomorrow.

She said: “I originally went into nursing and knew that I either wanted to go into paediatrics or be a labour and delivery nurse.

“When I witnessed my first birth during my maternal/child rotation, it sealed the deal for me wanting to become a labour and delivery nurse.”

During a summer internship at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital in 2014, she realised she had to be a midwife if she wanted to work in the maternity unit.

She said her main option was to study in Britain and she is now in her first year of a three-year programme at the University of Hertfordshire.

Ms Roque said: “So far, I’m loving every bit of it. I love how hands-on my programme is and how supportive all of the midwifery staff and mentors are.”

She graduated with a bachelor of science in nursing from the University of Ontario Institute of Technology in 2016 and she passed the National Council Licensure Examination last year.

Ms Roque said: “The course is definitely something new for me as it’s full time with only seven weeks of annual leave.”

She said about 17 weeks are spent in classes at the university — the remainder takes place in the community, antenatal wards, postnatal wards, birth centres and delivery suites.

Ms Roque explained: “Once out in placement you have to witness five births and then you become ‘hands on’ which means that you get to help deliver the babies.

“I’ve been hands on with three births so far. It’s amazing!”

She pointed out that maternity care in Britain is “completely different” to Bermuda.

Ms Roque said: “It’s mostly run by midwives, unless an obstetrician is required. Midwives are specifically trained in normal, healthy pregnancy and births, knowing when to refer women to obstetricians.

“They provide a continuity of care because community midwives run antenatal clinics and often see the mothers at home during the postnatal period.

“Some community midwives are also able to attend the home births of the women that they’ve cared for.”

She said midwives can also specialise in areas such as diabetes, mental health and teenage pregnancy.

Ms Roque would like to return to Bermuda when she has gained enough experience.

“I would like to work abroad for a while to gain as much experience as I can. I may even do some volunteering or missions work,” she said.

“I’m currently debating whether I should go abroad to complete my elective placement or stay in the UK and see how one of the local donor milk banks work.”

Ms Roque said health careers were not pushed as much as other careers in Bermuda and there were not enough scholarships on-island for health professions.

She said she would definitely encourage Bermudians to consider midwifery or “any healthcare profession really”.

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