Profession midwife

Midwifery professionals advise, support and control women during normal pregnancies and births.

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Personality Type

• Social / Realistic

Tasks midwife

• Give advice and support to women during pre-conception (family planning), antenatal and postnatal periods.
• Provide care and management of pregnancy and birth, during and after the birth.
• Prescribe medicaments or medical examinations.
• Monitor the condition of the mother and foetus during pregnancy and throughout labor.
• Evaluate the progress and detects warning signs of abnormal or potentially abnormal pregnancies requiring referral to a medical practitioner
• Give advice and support to women on parenting skills, and babycare and feeding
• Supervise midwifery students, nursing professionals and other health care professionals
• Hold health education classes and seminars to promote mother and infant health
• Offer psychological support to pregnant women
• Coordinate maternity care and care given by other health care workers
• Promote non-intervention in normal childbirth

Related professions maternity care

• Maternity carer
• Midwifery associate professional

Knowledge

• Hygiene in a health care setting

  The procedures related to maintaining a hygienic environment within a health care setting such as hospitals and clinics. It can range from hand washing to cleaning and disinfection of medical equipment used and infection control methods.

• Human anatomy

  The dynamic relationship of human structure and function and the muscosceletal, cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, endocrine, urinary, reproductive, integumentary and nervous systems; normal and altered anatomy and physiology throughout the human lifespan.

• Postpartum period

  The changes and possible problems that can occur in the six week period after birth.

• Relaxation techniques

  The various methods and techniques used to alleviate stress and bring peace and relaxation to the body and mind. This includes activities such as yoga, qigong or t`ai chi.

• Embryology

  The normal development of the embryo, the aetiology of developmental anomalies such as genetic aspects and organogenesis and the natural history of abnormalities diagnosed before birth.

• Childbirth

  The process of delivering a baby, the symptoms and signs of labour, the expulsion of the baby and all the related steps and procedures, including the ones related to complications and pre-mature birth.

• Sex education

  Provide information and advice related to human sexual reproduction, emotional relations between sexual partners, birth control and human sexuality in general.

• Psychology

  The human behaviour and performance with individual differences in ability, personality, interests, learning, and motivation.

• Health education

  The factors affecting health and of the educational approach to assisting people to make healthy life choices.

• Pharmacology

  Pharmacology is a medical specialty mentioned in the EU Directive 2005/36/EC.

• Female reproductive system pathology

  The diseases of the female reproductive system, such as ovary, vulva and vaginal cancers, pelvic inflammatory disease, ovarian cysts and diseases of the placenta.

• Health care occupation-specific ethics

  The moral standards and procedures, ethical questions and obligations specific to occupations in a health care setting such as respect for human dignity, self-determination, informed consent and patient confidentiality.

• Neonatology

  The branch of paediatric medicine concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of the new-born.

• Postpartum legal protection

  The legal aspects related to maternity coverage offered to mothers after childbirth.

• Radiological procedures

  The radiological procedures with digital imaging and other imaging techniques.

• Obstetric ultrasonography

  The various types of sonography and the information provided when applied to obstetrics such as dating and growth of the pregnancy and visualising the fetus in its mother womb.

• Preparation for parenthood

  The changes, such as the psychological aspects, affecting the parents after childbirth.

• Epidemiology

  The branch of medicine that deals with the incidence, distribution and control of diseases. The disease aetiology, transmission, outbreak investigation, and comparisons of treatment effects.

• Anaesthetics

  Anaesthetics is a medical specialty mentioned in the EU Directive 2005/36/EC.

• Lactation

  The physiology and function of the breast during lactation as appropriate for counselling the pregnant and postpartum woman.

• Dietetics

  The human nutrition and dietary modification for optimising health in clinical or other environments. The role of nutrition in promoting health and preventing illness across the life spectrum.

• Microbiology-bacteriology

  Microbiology-Bacteriology is a medical specialty mentioned in the EU Directive 2005/36/EC.

• Resuscitation

  The emergency procedure applied to individuals with no pulse to restore them to consciousness.

• Analgesics

  The types of medication used to relief pain in various medical cases.

• Health care legislation

  The patients` rights and responsibilities of health practitioners and the possible repercussions and prosecutions in relation to medical treatment negligence or malpractice.

• Preparation for child delivery

  The procedures to follow for delivering babies and the needed technical equipment in obstetrics.

• Pregnancy

  The process related to conception and development of the fetus in the mother`s womb, the symptoms of pregnancy, risks and complications, diseases and timing of childbirth.

• Pathology

  The components of a disease, the cause, mechanisms of development, morphologic changes, and the clinical consequences of those changes.

Skills

• Address problems critically

  Identify the strengths and weaknesses of various abstract, rational concepts, such as issues, opinions, and approaches related to a specific problematic situation in order to formulate solutions and alternative methods of tackling the situation.

• Contribute to continuity of health care

  Contribute to the delivery of coordinated and continuous healthcare.

• Manage healthcare users' data

  Keep accurate client records which also satisfy legal and professional standards and ethical obligations in order to facilitate client management, ensuring that all clients' data (including verbal, written and electronic) are treated confidentially.

• Provide preparation for childbirth

  Provide information to the mother-to-be related to the childbirth procedures in order to be prepared and know what to expect.

• Provide health education

  Provide evidence based strategies to promote healthy living, disease prevention and management.

• Work in a multicultural environment in health care

  Interact, relate and communicate with individuals from a variety of different cultures, when working in a healthcare environment.

• Take emergency measures in pregnancy

  Perform the manual removal of placenta, and the manual examination of the uterus in emergency cases, when the doctor is not present.

• Listen actively

  Give attention to what other people say, patiently understand points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times; able to listen carefully the needs of customers, clients, passengers, service users or others, and provide solutions accordingly.

• Advise on control of conception

  Provide advice on the various types of methods used to prevent pregnancy such as contraceptives or condoms.

• Promote inclusion

  Promote inclusion in health care and social services and respect diversity of beliefs, culture, values and preferences, keeping in mind the importance of equality and diversity issues.

• Provide pre-natal care

  Monitor the normal progression of pregnancy and development of foetus by prescribing regular check-ups for prevention, detection and treatment of health problems throughout the course of the pregnancy.

• Provide information on the effects of childbirth on sexuality

  Provide information to the mother or her family on the effects of childbirth on sexual behaviour.

• Advise on pregnancy

  Counsel patients on normal changes occurring in pregnancy, providing advice on nutrition, drug effects and other lifestyle changes.

• Provide education on family life

  Provide culturally sensitive health education and services, focusing on women, family and community and promoting healthy family life, and pregnancy planning.

• Support informed consent

  Make sure patients and their families are fully informed about the risks and benefits of proposed treatments or procedures so they can give informed consent, engaging patients and their families in the process of their care and treatment.

• Educate on the prevention of illness

  Offer evidence-based advice on how to avoid ill health, educate and advise individuals and their carers on how to prevent ill health and/or be able to advise how to improve their environment and health conditions. Provide advice on the identification of risks leading to ill health and help to increase the patients' resilience by targeting prevention and early intervention strategies.

• Carry out treatment prescribed by doctors

  Ensure the treatment prescribed by the doctor is being followed by the patient and answer any related questions.

• Provide pregnancy termination care

  Strive to accommodate the physical and psychological needs of a woman undergoing an abortion.

• Monitor pregnancy

  Carry out the examinations necessary for the monitoring of normal pregnancy.

• Advise on pregnancies at risk

  Identify and provide advice on the early signs of risk pregnancies.

• Follow clinical guidelines

  Follow agreed protocols and guidelines in support of healthcare practice which are provided by healthcare institutions, professional associations, or authorities and also scientific organisations.

• Develop a collaborative therapeutic relationship

  Develop a mutually collaborative therapeutic relationship during treatment, fostering and gaining healthcare users' trust and cooperation.

• Ensure safety of healthcare users

  Make sure that healthcare users are being treated professionally, effectively and safe from harm, adapting techniques and procedures according to the person's needs, abilities or the prevailing conditions.

• Comply with quality standards related to healthcare practice

  Apply quality standards related to risk management, safety procedures, patients feedback, screening and medical devices in daily practice, as they are recognized by the national professional associations and authorities.

• Work in multidisciplinary health teams

  Participate in the delivery of multidisciplinary health care, and understand the rules and competences of other healthcare related professions.

• Respond to changing situations in health care

  Cope with pressure and respond appropriately and in time to unexpected and rapidly changing situations in healthcare.

• Collect biological samples from patients

  Follow recommended processes to collect bodily fluids or samples from patients for further laboratory testing, assisting the patient as required.

• Use e-health and mobile health technologies

  Use mobile health technologies and e-health (online applications and services) in order to enhance the provided healthcare.

• Deal with emergency care situations

  Assess the signs and be well-prepared for a situation that poses an immediate threat to a person's health, security, property or environment.  

• Conduct spontaneous child deliveries

  Carry out spontaneous child delivery, managing the stress related to the event and all the risks and complications that may arise, performing operations such as episiotomies and breech deliveries, where required.

• Accept own accountability

  Accept accountability for one`s own professional activities and recognise the limits of one`s own scope of practice and competencies.

• Advise on family planning

  Provide advice on the use of birth control and methods of contraception available, on sexual education, prevention and management of sexually transmitted diseases, pre-conception counselling and fertility management.

• Assist on pregnancy abnormality

  Support the mother in case of abnormality signs during the pregnancy period and call the doctor in emergency cases.

• Provide care for the mother during labour

  Actively manage women in labour, prescribing and administer pain relief medication as needed and providing emotional support and comfort for the mother.

• Provide treatment strategies for challenges to human health

  Identify possible treatment protocols for the challenges to human health within a given community in cases such as infectious diseases of high consequences at the global level.

• Apply organisational techniques

  Employ a set of organisational techniques and procedures which facilitate the achievement of the goals set. Use these resources efficiently and sustainably, and show flexibility when required.

• Empathise with the woman's family during and after pregnancy

  Demonstrate empathy with women and their families during pregancy, childbirth labour and in the post partum period.

• Care for the new-born infant

  Take care of the newly born baby by performing actions such as feeding him/her at regular hours, checking his/her vital signs and changing diapers.

• Adhere to organisational guidelines

  Adhere to organisational or department specific standards and guidelines. Understand the motives of the organisation and the common agreements and act accordingly.

• Apply context specific clinical competences

  Apply professional and evidence based assessment, goal setting, delivery of intervention and evaluation of clients, taking into account the developmental and contextual history of the clients, within one`s own scope of practice.

• Assess the course of breast-feeding period

  Evaluate and monitor the breast-feeding activity of a mother to her newly born child.

• Prescribe medication

  Prescribe medications, when indicated, for therapeutic effectiveness, appropriate to the client`s needs and in accordance with evidence-based practice, national and practice protocols and within scope of practice.

• Comply with legislation related to health care

  Comply with the regional and national legislation that is relevant to one`s work and apply it in practice.

• Provide postnatal care

  Provide care to the mother and the new-born child following birth, ensuring that the new-born and the mother are healthy and that the mother is capable of taking care of her new-born.

• Inform policy makers on health-related challenges

  Provide useful information related to health care professions to ensure policy decisions are made in the benefit of communities.

• Examine the new-born infant

  Perform a neonatal examination to identify any danger signs, to assess the normal adaptations of a newborn after birth and to identify birth defects or birth trauma.

Optional knowledge and skills

Source: Sisyphus ODB