2024-10-20 13:54:00
The maternity ward of the Cholet polyclinic closed its doors at the beginning of October due to a drop in births. A hard blow for the nursing staff. Fourteen former midwives took the opportunity to take a “redundancy trip”.
This is called taking advantage of a difficult situation. Staff members at the private maternity ward at the Parc polyclinique in Cholet, Maine-et-Loire, left together for a “layoff trip” to Mallorca, Spain, after their service closed.
“We didn’t want to leave each other like that,” whispers West France Friday October 18 Pauline Lenoir, who was a midwife at the maternity ward.
The maternity department of the Cholet polyclinic, which had carried out more than 68,000 births since its creation, closed its doors on October 9. A difficult time for the nursing staff.
The announcement of the closure “hit us hard”
The announcement of the upcoming closure fell in May. The cause is a drop in births, even though the service was preparing to celebrate its 50th anniversary.
“Mid-September, we learned the date of the closure. It was a blow to us,” admits Pauline Lenoir.
Disconcerted at first, the staff chose not to let themselves be defeated. “On a whim, someone suggested going on a redundancy trip. Ultimately, fourteen of us followed,” says Pauline Lenoir.
Four days in the sun
Among the 14 travelers, there are former midwives and former childcare assistants. They all take their plane ticket, direction: Majorca, for a short stay of 4 days. A real adventure for some, for whom it is their first plane trip.
On the agenda for these few days in the sun? “Beach, cocktails, spa, visits, laughter, midnight baths, secrets,” lists Pauline Lenoir. A stay marked by rest, therefore, while some midwives and childcare assistants have no longer counted their hours in recent years.
Back in France, the former colleagues will now each turn towards a different future. If some have already found another job in maternity hospitals other than the Cholet polyclinic, others have chosen to work as freelancers or to change jobs.
“Moments of happiness, but also more difficult”
For Pauline Lenoir, there is no question of leaving on a sad note. The team that these ten women have formed over the years wants to “keep only the positive” from this daily life spent together, she says.
“We saw each other grow as professionals and people,” she says.
“We have experienced moments of happiness, but also more difficult ones, always supporting each other,” promises Pauline Lenoir, who assures that “some have attended the births of colleagues”. “Such a magical moment that binds us today,” swears Pauline Lenoir.
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