Midwives
Health Science > Therapeutic ServicesProjected Growth: Faster than average
Projected Job Openings
Considerable Preparation Needed
Job Description
Your job is to Provide prenatal care and childbirth assistance.
Common job titles of Midwives include:
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Experience and Education
A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for this occupation. For example, a person in this occupation must complete four years of college and work for several years in industry to be considered qualified.
27.07% said they needed a Master's Degree.
19.83% said they needed a Associate's Degree.
Tasks
Conduct ongoing prenatal health assessments, tracking changes in physical and emotional health.
Develop, implement, or evaluate individualized plans for midwifery care.
Provide information about the physical and emotional processes involved in the pregnancy, labor, birth, and postpartum periods.
Monitor fetal growth and well-being through heartbeat detection, body measurement, and palpation.
Maintain documentation of all patients' contacts, reviewing and updating records as necessary.
Treat patients' symptoms with alternative health care methods such as herbs or hydrotherapy.
Recommend the use of vitamin and mineral supplements to enhance the health of patients and children.
Provide postpartum patients with contraceptive and family planning information.
Counsel women regarding the nutritional requirements of pregnancy.
Test patients' hemoglobin, hematocrit, and blood glucose levels.
Refer patients to specialists for procedures such as ultrasounds or biophysical profiles.
Perform post-partum health assessments of mothers and babies at regular intervals.
Obtain complete health and medical histories from patients including medical, surgical, reproductive, or mental health histories.
Inform patients of how to prepare and supply birth sites.
Evaluate patients' laboratory and medical records, requesting assistance from other practitioners when necessary.
Estimate patients' due dates and re-evaluate as necessary based on examination results.
Collect specimens for use in laboratory tests.
Assess birthing environments to ensure cleanliness, safety, and the availability of appropriate supplies.
Provide comfort and relaxation measures for mothers in labor through interventions such as massage, breathing techniques, hydrotherapy, or music.
Monitor maternal condition during labor by checking vital signs, monitoring uterine contractions, or performing physical examinations.
Assist maternal patients to find physical positions that will facilitate childbirth.
Provide information about community health and social resources.
Incorporate research findings into practice as appropriate.
Complete birth certificates.
Suture perineal lacerations.
Provide, or refer patients to other providers for, education or counseling on topics such as genetic testing, newborn care, contraception, or breastfeeding.
Provide necessary medical care for infants at birth, including emergency care such as resuscitation.
Identify, monitor, or treat pregnancy-related problems such as hypertension, gestational diabetes, pre-term labor, or retarded fetal growth.
Establish and follow emergency or contingency plans for mothers and newborns.
Assess the status of post-date pregnancies to determine treatments and interventions.
Set up or monitor the administration of oxygen or medications.
Compile and evaluate clinical practice statistics.
Respond to breech birth presentations by applying methods such as exercises or external version.
Collaborate in research studies.
Identify tubal and ectopic pregnancies and refer patients for treatments.
Tools
Vaginal exam specula
Urinary catheters
Urinalysis test strips
Umbilical cord scissors
Umbilical cord clamps
Ultrasound imaging scanners
Trancutaneous electrical nerve stimulation TENS units
All ToolsTherapeutic hot packs
Therapeutic cold packs
Suture kits
Surgical tissue forceps
Surgical scissors
Straight needle holders
Sterile blood lancets
Reflex hammers
Personal computers
Oxygen delivery masks
Oxygen cylinders
Nasal syringes
Mosquito forceps
Medical scales
Medical measuring tapes
Medical examination protective gloves
Mechanical stethoscopes
Mechanical intermittent positive pressure ventilators
Manual blood pressure cuffs
Laptop computers
Intravenous IV sets
Hypodermic syringes
Hemostats
Fetal doppler units
External fetal monitors
Evacuated blood collection tubes
Episiotomy scissors
Digital medical thermometers
Desktop computers
Blood glucometers
Blood drawing syringes
Bedpans
Baby scales
Automated external defibrillators AED
Automated blood pressure cuffs
Technologies
MEDITECH software
Patient electronic medical record EMR software
Private Practice
Skills
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Social Perceptiveness
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Judgment and Decision Making
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Service Orientation
Actively looking for ways to help people.
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Coordination
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Writing
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Active Learning
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Instructing
Teaching others how to do something.
Complex Problem Solving
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Learning Strategies
Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Time Management
Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Abilities
Listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Cognitive Abilities › Verbal Abilities › Oral Comprehension
Tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Cognitive Abilities › Idea Generation and Reasoning Abilities › Problem Sensitivity
Communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Cognitive Abilities › Verbal Abilities › Oral Expression
Combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Cognitive Abilities › Idea Generation and Reasoning Abilities › Inductive Reasoning
Apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Cognitive Abilities › Idea Generation and Reasoning Abilities › Deductive Reasoning
Read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Cognitive Abilities › Verbal Abilities › Written Comprehension
Occupation Sections
Knowledge
Medicine and Dentistry
Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
Psychology
Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
Therapy and Counseling
Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
English Language
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Biology
Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
Education and Training
Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Sociology and Anthropology
Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.
Administration and Management
Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Clerical
Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
Law and Government
Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.