Midwifery in the USA and NZ

Vanderbilt School of Nursing, Nashville, USAOtago Polytechnic, Dunedin, NZInternational Day of the MidwifeMay 5, 2008

Aims for today

•Celebrate International Day of the Midwife

•Raise awareness of midwifery in international context

•Raise awareness of potential for online communication & collaboration

•Get used to using web conference•HAVE FUN!•Keep Sarah happy

Agenda

•Short introductions – verbal or text•Presentation from Mavis and Sarah•Questions & discussion•Will be ending on time because of room

booking at Sarah’s end

Midwifery in the USA

Nashville, Tennessee

Types of midwives

•Certified Nurse-Midwives (CNM)

•Certified Midwives (CM)

•Certified Professional Midwives (CPM)

•Lay Midwife (LM)

CNM Scope of Practice•Primary care•Gynecologic care•Family planning•Preconception•Maternity (prenatal, intrapartum,

postpartum)•Newborn

Birth in the USA

•Predominantly in the hospital with MD (normal and high-risk)

•Cesarean section rate at all time high•Home birth / birth centers available in

some areas•CNMs primarily in hospitals•All midwifery increasing slowly

The system may be different but birth is the same around the world

Midwifery in New Zealand

Midwifery in the USA

Dunedin

Image: 'Dunedin Railway Station' www.flickr.com/photos/19538540@N00/2050575685

Image: 'The Dunedin Cityscape'

www.flickr.com/photos/97726668@N00/2713895

Types of midwife

•Registered midwife•3 year direct entry degree•Nurses may have slightly shortened course

© Otago Polytechnic, 2008

RM Scope of Practice•Self employed LMC – funded by

government •Employed by facilities-primary, secondory

& tertiary •Family planning•Preconception - informal•Maternity (prenatal, intrapartum,

postpartum-up to 6 weeks discharge)•Newborn •Screening•Prescribe

Birth in NZ•Maternity care free to women•Predominantly in the hospital

(normal and high-risk)•Home birth an option •Birth centers available in some

areas

Challenges

•Cesarean section rate approx 23%•Increasing medicalisation•Recruitment and retention•Midwives getting

older

http://www.flickr.com/photos/t3rmin4t0r/93569830/

Potential solutions•Flexible of midwifery education•First year of practice mentoring program•Recertification program

© Otago Polytechnic, 2008

Congratulations to you all on International Midwives Day 2008

Image: 'Midwife taking stock'

www.flickr.com/photos/68319844@N00/446270854