A midwife is a health professional who cares for mothers and newborns around childbirth, a specialization known as midwifery.
What does a midwife do?
A midwife is a health professional who assists women before, during and after the birth of their children. Midwives may deliver babies in hospitals, private homes or at birthing centers. A midwife’s primary goals are to monitor the wellbeing, comfort and safety of women throughout the childbearing process and minimize unnecessary medical interventions
What environment do midwives work in?
Most midwives work in a hospital or clinical setting. However, many midwives may also work in private practices, university medical centers, birth centers or the private homes of patients.
What hours do midwives typically work?
A midwife may work typical hours such as 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. However, many nurse-midwives also work non-traditional hours, such as on weekends and evenings. Midwives are also often required to be “on-call” for patients if a patient goes into labor or requires other immediate medical care related to pregnancy.
Below is How to Become A Midwife In South Africa
Enroll in a bachelor’s degree program
Most midwives have a minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing (BSN) or a related field. The program you choose to pursue should be accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education or the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing
Become a registered nurse (RN)
Upon completion of a BSN or similar degree program, you will probably be eligible to practice as a registered nurse in your state after applying to the local State Board of Nursing and taking and passing the National Council Licensing Examination. During this time, you should focus on gaining a minimum of one year of experience in nursing, preferably with hands-on training in OB/GYN.
Complete an ACME-approved midwifery graduate program
After obtaining the required experience as an RN, you will likely be able to apply for and complete a graduate program in midwifery. The program you choose should be accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education. A Master’s Degree in Midwifery is the minimum requirement to practice as a midwife in many states.
Take and pass the midwifery exam
Most midwife positions will require you to have passed the American Midwifery Certification Board examination. This is a national exam that is typically taken on a computer and consists of 175 multiple-choice questions. After passing this exam and obtaining certification, you will be able to apply for a position as a midwife.
Below are Types of midwives in South Africa
Certified Midwife (CM)
A certified midwife must have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in nursing or a related field and be certified by the American College of Nurse-Midwives. Not all states recognize this credential.
Certified Professional Midwife (CPM)
This type of midwife has received midwifery training and meets the standards for practice set by the North American Registry of Midwives. Several different educational backgrounds may be accepted when pursuing a career as a CPM. These midwives practice primarily in out-of-hospital settings.
Direct-Entry Midwife (DEM)
A direct-entry midwife is an independent professional who has received midwifery training and education through apprenticeship, self-study, midwifery school or college degree that is not nursing. They most commonly provide midwife services in out-of-hospital settings
What services does a midwife provide?
A midwife may provide a variety of services both related and unrelated to pregnancy. The most common services provided by midwives include:
Pregnancy care
Postpartum care
Family planning
Disease prevention and management
Delivery and labor coaching
Preconception care
Medication prescribing
Treatment and counseling for sexually transmitted diseases
Primary care
How long does it take to become a midwife in South Africa?
four years
In order to become a midwife in South Africa, a person will need to undergo at least four years of training, according to a 2017 case study by the African Institute of Health & Leadership Development, regarding nursing and midwifery in South Africa.
How much does a midwife cost in South Africa?
In South Africa midwives seem to charge between R4500 – R10 000 for a home birth.
How long do it take to become a midwife In South Africa?
One is to complete a Bachelor of Nursing course at university and then complete postgraduate studies in Midwifery. The other is to complete Bachelor of Midwifery course (three years full-time or the equivalent part-time).
How many qualifications do you need to be a midwife In South Africa?
To become a midwife you’ll need a degree in midwifery, which takes three years to complete. If you’re already a registered adult nurse, you can undertake a shorter course instead, which takes 18 months.
Is studying to be a midwife hard In South Africa?
A midwifery degree is one of the most intense courses both mentally and academically out there. We are required to work the hours of a full time job, including night shifts and weekends, whilst completing a BSc or BA degree, which is pretty intense.
What subjects are needed to become a midwife in South Africa?
To qualify as a midwife, one must obtain basic nursing training, as well as an advanced diploma in Midwifery. Nursing training can be undertaken at UKZN, Wits, NWU, UJ, US, UL, UWC, UCT, UZ, UV, UNISA. Midwifery is available at UCT and UNISA. Nursing is also offered at CPUT, TUT and Community Nursing at VUT.
Is a midwife cheaper than a doctor In South Africa?
Typically, midwives are a more economical choice for pregnancy since the cost for routine prenatal care visits is usually cheaper than with an OB-GYN and is even covered by Medicaid.
Is it cheaper to have a baby with a midwife In South Africa?
(The costs of childbirth with a midwife are, on average, just over R 30226.20less expensive than childbirth under the care of an obstetrician. But you’ll want to check with your insurance to confirm what your out-of-pocket costs will be.)