Midwifery as practiced by certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) and certified midwives (CMs) encompasses a full range of primary health care services for women from adolescence beyond menopuase.
- Assess, diagnose, monitor, promote health and protection from disease, and manage care to adolescent and adult females focusing on family planning services, preconception care, pregnancy, childbirth, the post-partum period, gynecological needs and the care of the well newborn (during the first two days of life).
- CNMs may not admit patients to the hospital but may write admission orders after consultation with the physician.
- Midwives provide initial and ongoing comprehensive assessment, diagnosis and treatment.
- They conduct physical examination, prescribe medications including controlled substances and contraceptive methods, order and interpret laboratory and diagnostic test and order the use of medical devices.
- Midwifery care also includes health promotion, disease prevention, and individualized wellness education and counseling.
- Completes patient appropriate history and physical exam and douments accoring to regulatory requirements and NHC/NKDH Policy.
- Makes rounds on hospitalized patients and sees patients in the office setting.
- Evaulation of complaint of labor at term with an uncomplicated pregnancy.
- Completes ongoing phyiscal assessments/appropriate to patient status.
- Completes reassessments appropriate to patient status.
- Identifies patient care needs based on assessment data.
- Develops differential diagnoses based on assessment data and identifed needs.
- Reformulates diagnoses based on new or additional assessment data and the dynamic nature of complex accute, critical and chronic illness.
- Orders medications according to law and regulations (controlled substances require DEA & CAPA-CS).
- Evaluates and documents patient responses to medications and treatments as appropriate.
- Synthesizes data from a variety of sources to make clinical decision regarding appropriate management, consultation of referral.
- Provides for patient and family education.
- Provides consultation based on knowledge and expertises and within scope of practice.
- Requests consults and makes referrals as appropriate.
- Provides thorough and timely documentation of care and treatment in the patient record.
- Facilitates a cooperative team atmosphere through professional communication.
- Provides indivdualized patient and family education by applying principles of learning, actievly involving the learner, and providing an environment conducive to teaching/learning.
- Recognizes teaching opportunities and provides age-specific and culturally sensative teaching in a manner that promotes safe patient care regarding the role of the CNM.
- In collaboration with the patient, evaluates patient outcomes identified in the CNM plan of care, by comparing patient responses to nursing inteventions, current practice standards, and anticipated coutcomes.
