Midwifery is an ancient profession that dates back to biblical times. Provision of advice, care and support for women and their babies during pregnancy, labour and the early postnatal period was considered a female domain strictly until recently. A seachange in social perception led to an increasing p... Continue Reading
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Explore Career Midwifery is an ancient profession that dates back to biblical times. Provision of advice, care and support for women and their babies during pregnancy, labour and the early postnatal period was considered a female domain strictly until recently.
A seachange in social perception led to an increasing proportion of men also opting for this career that stood the test of time and remains as vital today as it was centuries ago.
What are the typical responsibilities of a Midwife?
A Midwife would typically need to:
Most Midwives work alone out of clients’ homes, but some may assist doctors with live births in a hospital setting. Multidisciplinary teamwork is becoming a common feature in hospital as well as community healthcare settings.
The workplace is transient, especially when the midwife has to travel between more than one client’s home during the day or night. Overnight absences from home and overseas travel are rare.
Community and freelancing Midwives must be ready to assist in births at any hour of the day. Independent practice may offer more opportunities for continuity of care. Professionals employed by hospitals usually work in shifts around 36 hours/week and may put in overtime if necessary.
Finding a new job might seem challenging. Midwives can boost their job search by asking their network for referrals, contacting clients directly, leveraging social media, and inquiring at staffing agencies. Self-employment is a viable option, as is working in academics or research in a university hospital.
Midwives are generally employed by:
Healthcare associations such as the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) provide unparalleled networking and educational opportunities. They offer all the certification courses members will need throughout their professional careers.
Affiliated Midwives may attend conventions, seminars, and dinners frequented by peers, mentors, and other industry leaders. The events help them learn about the newest breakthroughs and latest developments in the field, including plum jobs.
To show their commitment to the long qualifying period, every applicant to a midwifery program needs work experience in their local hospital, doctor's surgery, nursing home, or mental health trust.
They will have the opportunity to observe the critical interaction between a Midwife and other healthcare workers.
Often, certification providers require applicants to have performed a minimum required number of observations, assisting with births, and performing primary Midwife duties under supervision if the candidates do not have formal midwife education.
Midwives with nursing experience believe that it helped them when they began midwifery training. Some teaching hospitals also offer work experience and professional insight to secondary school students interested in a career as a Midwife.
Supporting teenage parents, talking with a high school counsellor, reading about the profession and interviewing those working in midwifery will also offer proof of your commitment to course providers and prospective employers.
Midwives differ widely in their education, training and credentials.
Certified Nurse-Midwives (CNMs) are advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) who complete an accredited masters or higher-level nurse-midwifery education program. It can take at least eight years to be qualified as a CNM, including the nursing and nurse-midwifery programs.
Certified Midwives (CMs) can be qualified without a nursing background. They must complete an accredited master of science degree in midwifery which can take around six years.
Certified Professional Midwives (CPMs) should hold a high school diploma or its equivalent and graduate from an accredited midwifery education program to give them a certificate or an associate/bachelor’s/doctoral degree. Most graduates opt for a certificate or associate degree. Applicants who possess the CNM or CM credential are also eligible candidates.
Doulas provide non-medical support to mothers during childbirth and need to satisfy just a few legal requirements to practice their profession. They must receive formal training and certification from nationally recognised organisations.
In other locations, aspiring Midwives must complete an approved pre-registration midwifery degree program. You will spend half of the full-time three-year program studying at university and the other half in practical placements.
Those in relevant roles may opt for part-time courses, which usually take five to six years. Qualified nurses can take a short midwifery program which takes considerably less time than the three-year course.
There is intense competition for the direct-entry midwifery course, which doesn’t require a nursing background. Candidates who wish to become CMs, CPMs, or doulas should apply as early as possible.
Certified Nurse-Midwives must obtain national certification and licensure, while Certified Midwives need certification.
A combination of education, experience, and testing is generally required to gain certification, though requirements differ from region to region. Successful certification programs protect public welfare by incorporating a Code of Ethics.
Certification from an objective and reputed organisation can help you stand out in a competitive job market and increase your chances of advancement.
Typically, licensure requires an application, processing fees, an examination, and relevant education and experience. Check-in with local or national midwifery organisations to find whether you will need licensure.
Most Certified Professional Midwives need licensure, although they must also apply for certification, permit or registration, if necessary. Some locations require that they carry malpractice insurance as well.
A few certifying authorities accept appropriate work experience instead of a formal midwifery education program.
Some countries require prospective Midwives to register with their national association after completing the approved midwifery program. Then they can begin to practice.
By and large, midwifery programs require the applicants to undergo employment background checks which can include but are not limited to a person’s work history, education, credit history, motor vehicle reports (MVRs), criminal record, medical history, use of social media, and drug screening.
Well-qualified and experienced Midwives with consistently high performance levels will find their career progressing in leaps and bounds.
You can become a Clinical Specialist in antenatal screening, breastfeeding advice, home birthing, intensive care neonatal units, labour ward supervision, parenting education, public health ultrasound and foetal medicine.
You may choose to become a Consultant Midwife or aim for managerial positions such as Head of Midwifery Services or Supervisor of Midwives registered with the local authority.
Lecturer-Practitioner or Researcher positions in a university hospital are right choices if you have the required academic qualifications and experience.
If travelling around the world appeals to you, you will have ample opportunities to freelance or work with international development charity organisations. Check whether the country you wish to relocate to requires their Midwives to hold registered nurse status to practice.
Certified Midwives with a bachelor's degree in nursing and midwifery have the best job prospects.
Newly qualified Midwives receive official training from an experienced senior during the first few months of professional practice.
Periodic renewal of registration requires a specific number of practice hours providing direct care to patients, managing and teaching or running a care service.
Revalidation may also mandate a particular number of hours spent in continuing professional development (CPD), a set number of practice-related feedback and reflective accounts and professional indemnity arrangement.
Midwives who need to be recertified regularly must also meet specific continuing education requirements.
Reflective learning, interaction with peer groups, comprehensive inclusion, workshops, and professional publications are all means of CPD that serve to educate, influence, support, and foster lifelong enlightenment in all career-grade Midwives.
Take specialist courses in enhanced midwifery practice, family planning, teaching in clinical practice and research to facilitate career progression. Invest time in relevant higher studies at the bachelors, masters and doctoral levels.
Midwives can expect support and additional training from the academic institution or from Vitae, a non-profit global leader with over 50 years of experience in enhancing the skills of researchers.
In partnership with governments, funders of research, professional bodies, trusts & foundations, universities, and research institutes, Vitae offers training, resources, events, consultancy, and membership.
What’s in a Title?
Certified Nurse-Midwives have universal recognition and prescriptive authority. Most employers allow CNMs to diagnose and treat without physician supervision or enter into a collaborative practice agreement with a physician. Most of the present-day OB/GYN practices and hospitals have CNMs on their payroll.
Their dual training qualifies them to provide regular well-woman visits, gynaecological checkups, contraceptive and family planning services, and treatment of STDs. They can offer neonatal care during the first 28 days of a baby’s life.
Although Certified Midwives can provide a full range of primary health care services, from adolescence to beyond menopause, they do not enjoy legal recognition and licensure at the same level as CNMs.
Certified Professional Midwives are qualified to provide care throughout their childbearing cycles in out-of-hospital midwifery settings such as their clients’ homes and in private birthing centers.
Doulas are not maternity care providers; they provide support to mothers during childbirth and extend it to the infants after childbirth. They may also specialise in providing emotional support to families going through an abortion, adoption, infertility, miscarriage and stillbirth.
Some doulas also provide end-of-life care services to families. While some work for birth centers or hospitals, most are employed by expecting mothers to provide services in their home.
A Midwife can opt for a specific practice model from among the prevalent ones.
Solo Practice
Suburban or rural areas with significant medical needs and less competition suit solo practice. Remember that while you can grow and develop your unique style of medical care, it involves considerable effort, time and financial risk.
Group Practice
The group practice may comprise single-speciality or multi-speciality providers. Midwives in this model enjoy financial security and administrative support so they can focus more time and energy on patient care.
However, autonomy and decision-making ability decrease, increasing the risk of conflict around significant practice issues. Larger practices also tend to become more bureaucratic and policy-driven.
An increasing number of women from all walks of life are opting for this unique blend of care and support during one of the most critical junctures in their life. It is no wonder that most Midwives report they find it immensely satisfying to be able to assist expectant mothers give birth at home with desired outcomes.
Get work experience while completing your studies; hospitals offer many opportunities for students. Go beyond your required readings and talk to your colleagues so you can stay up to date with new research.
In many ancient cultures, it was assumed that these female medical practitioners had a spiritual connection that gave them special powers, making them better practitioners.
What do Midwives do?
A Midwife would typically need to:
Accredited
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