Coping with end-of-year assessments: a survival guide for pre-registration midwives.

The midwifery preregistration programme of study is a demanding undertaking that prepares students for the stressors and complexities of the role of the qualified midwife. Additionally, there are ‘pinch points’ during each academic year, where the pressures of theory and practice assessments can lead to students feeling overwhelmed and unable to cope. While multiple submissions due on or around the same time may seem excessive, as students cannot be assessed on what they have not learned, this inevitably leads to a heavy assessment schedule towards the end of each academic year. This article will complement existing literature by suggesting selfhelp techniques such as relaxation, exercise and making use of existing support networks, along with signposting to useful online resources for students to access during particularly stressful times of their training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]