Registered Midwife Scope of Practice
This domain defines the responsibilities of the midwife to provide a practical/professional environment that encourages education of patients, midwives as well as personal development and growth.
Education and Facilitation
Demonstrates a commitment to the development of other members in the healthcare team, as well as women, their families and communities.
Performance criteria:
- Shares and disseminates professional knowledge and research findings with others.
- Acts as a resource person for others.
- Contributes to the formal and informal education and professional development of students and colleagues facilitating and where appropriate coordinating learning opportunities.
- Acts as an effective preceptor, undertaking appropriate preparation and updating to undertake the role.
- Takes opportunities to learn together with others in order to contribute to health care improvement.
Lifelong learning
Assumes responsibility for own professional development through lifelong learning to ensure continued competence and performance improvement.
Performance criteria:
- Undertakes regular self-assessment and reviews own practice through reflection, peer review, competency assessment, critical examination and evaluation.
- Instigates planned updating of knowledge and skills for safe, woman-centered, evidence-based practice.
- Actively engages in ongoing professional development and performance improvement of self and others.
- Maintains a professional portfolio including evidence of continued competence, professional development and improvement as required for continuing registration in relevant jurisdiction.
Promotion of health and education for Women and their Families
Will provide education and care to optimize the health of women and their families from the conception to the end of the postnatal period.
Performance criteria:
- Takes part in health promotion, health education and illness prevention initiatives and contributes to their evaluation.
- Applies knowledge of resources available for health promotion and health education.
- Acts to empower the woman, her family and the community to make reasoned decisions regarding childbirth and infant wellbeing.
- Demonstrates understanding of traditional healing practices within an individual’s, a family’s and/or a community’s health belief systems and incorporates appropriately and/or provides education if adversely effecting optimum health.
- Applies a variety of teaching and learning strategies with the woman, her family and community to effect and evaluate learning.
