What does it take to become a midwife? A lot of hard work, dedication, and some natural talent. From the moment you start your training, you are on a journey that will test your resolve, time and time again. 

There are many hours of studying and hands-on experience that is required before one can even be considered for the profession. But it is a journey well worth taking, as the job comes with a different sense of satisfaction. 

In this week’s episode of High-Performance Nursing, I had an interesting conversation with Julie Blackburn, who brings a combined 30 years of expertise in these fields to her training sessions. Her main areas of interest include education, women's issues, fathers' involvement in pregnancy and delivery, family health, and preventing domestic abuse.

According to Julie, being a midwife student is a lot like always trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together and figuring out what is going on with the patient. The skills required for the job are vast and diverse. 

Becoming a midwife is not an easy task. It takes years of hard work and dedication to master the skills required for the job. But for those who are up for the challenge, the reward is great. The satisfaction that comes with helping to bring a new life into the world is truly unmatched.

WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE:

• All about Julie Blackburn (2:11)
• Julie's career then and now (3:18)
• What it takes to travel and work at the same time (5:45)
• Having different roles (10:16)
• What Julie loves about being a midwife (15:15)
• Julie's advice to people who want to explore midwifery (20:13)
• A day in a life of a clinical facilitator (23:50)
• What causes students’ stress (27:03)
• Navigating students having a hard time on placement (29:55)
• Should students highly focus on their GPA to land their job? (37:37)
• Julie's current career (41:25)
• Julie’s most precious career moment (47:50)
• Best advice to nurses and midwives (48:25)
• Lesson and advice to students (48:48)

FREE RESOURCES

🚀 Want to start your own nurse-led business with the skills you already got?

✅ Download the Bedside to Business Roadmap – a step-by-step launch guide for nurses ready to build an online income stream.

🎓 Watch the Make Nursing Optional Masterclass – discover the 6 steps to turn your nursing skills into a profitable business (without needing another certificate).

CONNECT WITH ME

📲 Follow me on Instagram: @nursepreneuracademy

📩 Got an aha moment from this episode? I’d love to hear from you!

Email: [email protected]

If you’re a nurse who knows you’re made for more—and you’re craving bold conversations about building a freedom-based, impact-driven business using the skills you already have—The NursePreneur Podcast is for you.

You’ll love this show if you're already tuning into The NursePreneurs Podcast with Catie Harris for nurse entrepreneur spotlights, the Gritty Nurse Podcast with Amie Archibald-Varley and Sara Fung for advocacy and raw honesty, The Nurse Break by Jackson Heilberg for real career stories, Scrubs and Stocks by Ellaine Maala for nurse wealth and investing, or Nurse John’s I Beg Your Pardon for comedic truth-telling from the bedside trenches.

Here, host Liam delivers behind-the-scenes strategy, belief-busting mindset shifts, and practical steps to help you build a soul-aligned nurse-led business—without needing another certificate to get started. This is the podcast for nurse entrepreneurs who are done waiting and ready to lead.