Nurserve is please to include a special section for Midwives where we have included a range of information that should help you to work as a midwife or
become a midwife.
As well as events, news, books and relevant information you can leave messages or view conversation about midwifery at our Midwifery forum just click
here to see Midwifery Forum
How to Become a Midwife
If you are already an Registered Nurse having done your BSN or equivalent you can do an 18 month midwifery course and are seconded by the hospital
trust on band5 nurses salary.
If you havent done any nursing then you can do a 3 year direct entry diploma or degree. You would get a bursary to help finance this if you have
lived in the UK for the 3 years prior to starting the course.
the courses consist of 50% theory and 50% practice over a 45 week year.... you cover some thing like introduction to midwifery, midwifery skills,
or general nursing.
To register you have to personally deliver 40 babies, do 100 antenatal checks, 100 postnatal checks, 100 new baby checks.
Midwife Job Description
A midwife provides advice, care and support for women, their partners and families during the pre-conceptual, antenatal, intranatal and postnatal
periods.
Modern maternity practices provide a 'woman-centred' approach allowing for choice and continuity of care. Work involves caring for newborns,
providing health education and parenting support.
Midwives are responsible for newborns until the twenty eighth day when care transfers to a health visitor.
Midwives are independent practitioners, calling doctors only when there is a medical problem involving the mother's or child's safety.
Most work within hospitals although an increasing number are community-based. Midwives work in multidisciplinary teams, liaising with GPs,
health visitors and social workers.
Typical Midwifery activities
A midwife has a range of responsibilities, including the care of mother and baby, adhering to hospital policy and maintaining an awareness of issues
such as health and safety. The focus of the role includes:
Pre and postal duties that include risk assesments, diagnosis, pregnancy planning, referrals, health education, advice, baby care, check ups.
Post Qualification Training and Education
As a midwife it will be your responsibility to maintain your knowledge of midwifery through PREP (post registration eductaion and practice).
This will ensure that you will always be able to provide the optimum care and advice to parents.
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