madmidwife

Hello All, I've been invited to an interview with an agency for jobs in Saudi - as a midwife. I know there'll only be a few with exprience of this but I'd be grateful for any advice. I've been wondering about stupid things like what to wear (I can hear the guys saying typical woman) but its just knowing wether trousers/pencil skirt are ok. Maybe I'll just go in an Abaya

The Dean

The interview is presumably in the UK? Who is doing the interviewing? Might make a difference.

Be ready for 'how would you cope with.....?' type questions - I know they crop up in interviews in all fields and careers but it's worth being ready.

And if you get the job - be prepared for the lower pain thresholds of Saudi women, compared to you case-hardened Western women........

One Saudi woman, according to the wife of a former colleague, asked (without apparent irony) if she could have a pain-killer like an epidural "from about three months onwards.....".

madmidwife

Thanks for the tip. I've had the pleasure of caring for women from many cultures and yes there are a few who stand out for low pain threshold - thank goodness for my high tolerance for wimps. In the good old days you just gave them a stick to bite down on when it hurt

Blue Cat

a friend of mine went to Saudi as a midwife, SHE HAS NEVER NURSED SINCE! she told me some absolutely terrible stories about life there think about it long and hard before making a decision. It isn't the NHS and the people aren't on the same way of thinking as most of us are. Just my thoughts.

Grace O Malley

I know a lot of senior nurses and midwives in the UAE and they have always insisted if they needed an op or were seriously ill that they would want to be airlifted back home as they have issues with some of the medical care here.

Saying that i know lots of folk here including my son who have had ops here and had very good care

Miss Eck

Just go for the sheer blouse and open a few buttons

My cousin spent 14 yrs working as a nurse in Saudi. She has been back in Ireland now 10 year and would go back in a shot but for her mother is not well.

The Dean

Cat,

It's BETTER than the NHS by a country mile. There is no expense spared on equipment, training, etc - and in every hospital I've ever used or visited in KSA, you could eat off the floor.

Of course that's in the private sector, but most people use that because employers pay for the medical insurance.

I'm sure there are negative stories, but I'd rather be ill here than in the UK.

madmidwife

Yes I've heard similar but still game to give it a go. Nothing worse than a life of 'what ifs'

madmidwife

You're right experiences vary with regards to standards of care. When I lived in Scotland had an op in old building that was super clean. Have since worked in three English hospitals spanking new buildings that I wouldn't take my dog to for an op

madmidwife

Does the sheer blouse work even if you're flat chested???

Sam FTQ

Depends on the proclivities of your interviewer, I suppose.

The Dean

I met a girl once who offered to show me her proclivity..........

......... at least I think that's what she said..........

madmidwife

Blue Cat

I don't have an issue with the standards here and can't comment about KSA, but the stuff that I heard was heartbreaking. One lady who had been constantly raped by her employer ended up pregant and delivered in the hospital where she my friend worked. The mother was stoned and died and no one knew what became of the child my friend left shortly after this incident.

madmidwife

Sexual exploitation is a big problem worse when the woman (the victim) is then proscecuted. I have looked after women over here who have also been victims - thankfully they are still alive (as far as I'm aware). Big problem over here is the Eastern European women being used as unwilling prostitutes in brothels - especially in the county I live in, Cambridgeshire. Illegal brothels being raided by police frequently. Nasty stuff:curse: