Published 23 November 2022
Maternity support worker Arjola Koci is a qualified midwife in her home country of Albania.
Arjola initially came to the UK two years ago and worked in a care home, but is enjoying being back in a maternity department as part of the team at the William Harvey Hospital.
She plans to sit her professional registration exam to become a midwife in the UK next year, and in the meantime works across the department supporting families as they welcome a new baby.
She said: “I work in triage, on labour ward, and on the post-natal ward and sometimes I help the midwives with caesarean sections as well.
“I like being able to support women emotionally as well as physically, and it’s really useful experience for me to learn the medical language in maternity in preparation for my exam.
“The team are very supportive, and one of the midwives has lent me her books so I can prepare, and I’m also doing practice tests online.”
Maternity support workers work with qualified midwives to care for parents and babies, from taking routine observations and updating records, to promoting breast feeding or helping with pre and post-natal education.
Arjola said: “I’m looking forward to being able to be more involved in deliveries once I am qualified as a midwife in this country.
“I’d like to stay working with the team in east Kent because I know I can make a real difference here.”
For more information on support worker roles with East Kent Hospitals, visit https://www.ekhuft.nhs.uk/patients-and-visitors/work-here/latest-vacancies/
