A nurse midwife provides care to women during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum. They require a minimum LPN degree, but many employers prefer a BSN degree. They can work in a doctor’s office or hospital, and their duties include monitoring patients, administering medications, and providing education and care to new mothers. They must also be prepared to handle unexpected complications during childbirth.
A nurse midwife is a nursing professional who works with women during pregnancy as well as during childbirth. This may include assessment and care during labor and delivery and postpartum care of the mother and child. Nurses in this field can treat patients throughout the entire process or just focus on perinatal care or labor and delivery.
An individual interested in becoming a nurse midwife must obtain, at a minimum, a licensed practical nurse (LPN) degree. Due to the specialized care required in this field, many employers prefer nurses with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree. After earning this degree, students in the United States must obtain a license by taking an exam administered by their home state’s board of nursing. Additional midwifery certifications can be obtained through the National Certification Corporation (NCC).
Once properly educated and licensed, a nurse midwife can seek employment in a doctor’s office or hospital. Duties in the doctor’s office may include taking vital signs, assisting with exams and procedures, completing assessments, and maintaining exam rooms. In a hospital setting, the nurse may be required to prepare delivery rooms, sterilize instruments, prepare patients, monitor patients, assist the physician throughout delivery, and care for babies immediately after birth.
During labor and delivery, the midwife will monitor the patient and fetus. Responsibilities typically include administering pain control medications, or substances such as Rh immune globulin and Pitocin, or other medications ordered by the physician. It is the nurse’s role to report the patient’s conditions and the progress of labor to the attending physician. The nurse provides most of the patient’s care until the moment of delivery, when the doctor intervenes and the nurse assists him.
In a hospital, a nurse midwife is likely to offer support and education to mothers after childbirth. By providing information and care, the nurse can help new mothers learn to care for themselves, as well as to meet the needs of their newborns. Information about breastfeeding, baby cord care, and general child care education can be provided, as well as instructions on personal postpartum care for the mother. Providing these instructions and care can help new parents learn and adjust to parenthood.
Although labor and delivery are generally predictable, a midwife must be prepared to deal with unexpected complications for the mother or baby. Premature labor with preterm delivery may indicate the need for emergency care for the newborn. Prolonged labor can put the fetus at risk for stress and infection. A breech birth can cause significant discomfort and may require a C-section to deliver the baby. These and other complications require a midwife to work quickly with a doctor to ensure the safety of mother and baby.
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