I qualified as a Registered Nurse in 1985 after completing my three year nurse training in Sheffield, South Yorkshire. I was based at the Northern General Hospital, (before the redevelopment) and spent many a happy hour standing on the back of a trolley gliding down the quarter mile corridor - rumoured to be the longest covered corridor in Europe at the time. During my training I was sent to the Jessop Hospital for Women for a 4 week placement. It was here that I decided I wanted to become a midwife.
The Jessop Hospital, since demolished, was the home of my midwifery training. I am proud to be a 'Jessop Girl'. My 18 month training involved time on the wards, on the labour ward and out on the community, with my much respected mentor, Sister Ann Garner. Sadly Sister Garner died in July 1991. Her love of home births and the care and compassion she showed the women in her care passed to me. I have such happy memories of my training and the 18 months I spent working as a Staff Midwife.
Of course, I soon got itchy feet and my next move was a little further away - to the land of sun and sand - Abu Dhabi. In 1990 Abu Dhabi was a thriving town by the sea, separated from it's better known neighbour, Dubai, by a sandy 150 km dual carriageway. The Corniche Hospital was to be my home for the next 4 years. It was here that I encountered all sorts of challenges in midwifery; from women having their 10th baby, to an undiagnosed quin birth (we were only expecting quads), to young girls of 15 having undergone fertility treatment. I worked on the wards, on the busy delivery suite (where 10,000 babies were born each year) and finally the emergency room where we never knew who was going to walk through the door.
So in 1994 I moved to work in an oil company clinic. The Chief Nurse role encompassed not just maternity care for the employees' wives, but general practice work, sports medicine, travel medicine and the overseeing of four off-shore clinics. Living in a villa, opposite the mangrove swamps at the end of the New Corniche was my idea of luxury; together with trips to the Far East, South America and neighbouring countries and a rather nice little black sports car. Two more jobs later and I ended up back at the Corniche as a midwife again - I couldn't stay away!
2004 saw me back in England with a 3 year old son. After completing a statutory 'Return to Practice' course at the local university I secured a job as a Community Midwife. Soon it became apparent that home births were my forte.
I left my Community Midwife post in December 2014 to concentrate on my Independent Midwifery clients. |
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I am Mum to a 25 year son, who offers his services as my IT specialist, maintains equipment and keeps an eye on stock levels.
I am happy to offer all the care you need for your pregnancy and birth, or a single consultation to supplement your NHS care. I work with other Independent Midwives to ensure that you receive safe, high quality individualised care. PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS Registered Nurse (1985) (Registered with Nursing & Midwifery Council as 'Alison Jayne Al Alawi') Registered Midwife (1988) (Registered with Nursing & Midwifery Council as 'Alison Jayne Al Alawi') In-flight Nursing Award (1992) BSc (Honours) Nursing Practice (Public Health) (2013) MSc Advancing Healthcare Practice (2017) Diploma in Aromatherapy (2014) Professional Midwife Advocate (2023) Birmingham City University Post-graduate course |