In this guide
Midwives work in partnership with women to care for and support all childbearing women, newborn infants, and their families. They make an important contribution to population health, promoting psychological and physical health and wellbeing. Midwives optimise normal physiological processes, and support safe psychological, social, cultural and spiritual situations, working to promote positive outcomes and to anticipate and prevent complications.
A. The midwife’s role in public health, health promotion and health protection
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3.A outcomes
At the point of registration, the midwife will be able to:
3.1demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the woman’s lived experiences in everyday life, enabling access to public health, social care and community resources as needed
3.2understand epidemiological principles and critically appraise and interpret current evidence and data on public health strategies, health promotion, health protection, and safeguarding, and use this evidence to inform conversations with women, their partners, and families, as appropriate to their needs and preferences
3.3demonstrate the ability to share information on public health, health promotion and health protection with women, enabling them to make evidence-informed decisions, and providing support for access to resources and services
3.4demonstrate the ability to offer information and access to resources and services for women and families in regard to sexual and reproductive health and contraception
3.5understand the importance of birth to public health and wellbeing across the life course
3.6understand the importance of human milk and breastfeeding to public health and wellbeing, and demonstrate how to protect, promote and enable breastfeeding with the woman, her partner and family
3.7demonstrate the ability to offer information and access to resources and services for women and families in regard to violence, abuse, and safeguarding
3.8understand and demonstrate how to support and provide parent education and preparation for parenthood, both for individuals and groups
3.9promote and support parent and newborn mental health and wellbeing, positive attachment and the transition to parenthood
3.10demonstrate effective health protection through understanding and applying the principles of infection prevention and control, communicable disease surveillance, and antimicrobial resistance and stewardship.
B. The midwife’s role in assessment, screening and care planning
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3.B outcomes
At the point of registration, the midwife will be able to:
3.11demonstrate knowledge and understanding of anatomy, physiology, genetics, and genomics of adolescent girls and women and the reproductive system for adolescent boys and men
3.12demonstrate knowledge and understanding of normal changes to anatomy, physiology, and epigenetics of the adolescent girl/woman during:
3.12.1pregnancy
3.12.2labour
3.12.3birth
3.12.4postpartum
3.13demonstrate knowledge and understanding of anatomy, physiology, and epigenetics of:
3.13.1fetal development
3.13.2adaptation to life
3.13.3the newborn infant
3.13.4very early child development
3.14demonstrate knowledge and understanding of anatomy, physiology, and epigenetics of infant feeding
3.15demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the implications of infant feeding for maternal and child health and for very early child development
3.16demonstrate knowledge and understanding of psychological, behavioural, and cognitive factors for:
3.16.1adolescents and adults
3.16.2newborn infants
3.17demonstrate knowledge and understanding of changes to psychological, behavioural, and cognitive factors during:
3.17.1pregnancy, labour, birth and postpartum
3.17.2infant feeding and relationship building
3.17.3the transition to parenthood and positive family attachment
3.18demonstrate knowledge and understanding of pharmacology and the ability to recognise the positive and adverse effects of medicines across the continuum of care; to include allergies, drug sensitivities, side effects, contraindications, incompatibilities, adverse reactions, prescribing errors and the impact of polypharmacy and over the counter medication usage
3.19demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the principles of safe and effective administration and optimisation of prescription and non-prescription medicines and midwives exemptions, demonstrating the ability to progress to a prescribing qualification following registration
3.20demonstrate knowledge and understanding of national screening and diagnostic tests for women and newborn infants, and associated ethical dilemmas
3.21demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the importance of optimising normal physiological processes, supporting safe, physical, psychological, social and cultural situations, and working to promote positive outcomes and to anticipate and prevent complications
3.22demonstrate knowledge and understanding that women’s circumstances vary widely, and the importance of supporting, promoting and protecting any individual needs and preferences that they themselves identify
3.23in partnership with the woman, use evidence-based, best practice approaches to plan and carry out ongoing integrated assessment, individualised care planning and evaluation for both the woman and the newborn infant, based on sound knowledge and understanding of normal processes and recognition of deviations from these.
C. The midwife’s role in optimising normal physiological processes and working to promote positive outcomes and prevent complications
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3.C outcomes
At the point of registration, the midwife will be able to:
3.24identify how factors in the care environment can impact on normal physiological processes and how the midwife can work to promote and protect a positive environment, both physical and emotional
3.25use evidence-based, best practice approaches and work in partnership with the woman to provide care for the woman and the newborn infant across the continuum that optimises normal processes, manages common symptoms and problems, and anticipates and prevents complications, drawing on the findings of assessment, screening and care planning
3.26understand when additional care or support is needed and demonstrate how to consult and make referrals for additional care or support needs when necessary
3.27understand and demonstrate how to provide culturally sensitive and individualised care for all women, their partners and families, irrespective of their social situation.
