Certified Nurse Midwife

Job Summary

Assesses the physical and psychosocial status of patients by means of interview, health history, physical examination, and diagnostic tests. Interprets that data, develops and implements a plan of treatment, and follows through on a continuum of patient care across the health-illness continuum and lifespan within protocols set forth and approved by both the practice physicians and certified nurse midwife.

Minimum Qualifications

Minimum Education: Master’s Degree in Nursing from an accredited college or university.
Minimum Years of Experience: None.
Substitutable Education & Experience: None.
Required Certifications/Licensure: Current licensure as a Registered Nurse in the State of South Carolina;

Evidence of certification by an appropriate nationally recognized credentialing organization as a
certified nurse midwife.
Required Training: None.

Essential Functions

• Maintains a positive attitude. Has contact by phone, correspondence, or personal meetings with persons in other departments or outside the practice; tact is required in these contacts and the employee assumes the responsibility for harmonious relationships.
• Appropriate communication of information to all ages: Infant – Birth to 1 year; Child – 1 year through 12 years; Adolescent – 13 years through 17 years; Adult – 18 years through 65 years; Geriatric – Over 65 years
• Responsiveness to all patients and office staff requests and needs.
• Performs all other duties as assigned by authorized personnel or as required in an emergency, e.g., fireor disaster.
• Supports individual rights and self-determination within boundaries of safety.
• Practices in accord with the protocols of the practice.
• Provides patients with a description of the scope of mid-wifery services and information regarding the patient’s rights and responsibilities.
• Provides clients with information on other providers and services when requested or when care required is not within the scope of practice of the CNM.
• Promotes involvement of support persons in the practice setting.
• Care is comprised of knowledge, skills and judgements that foster the delivery of safe and satisfying care.
• Collects and assesses patient care data, develops and implements a plan of management, and evaluates the outcome of care.
• Demonstrates the clinical skills and judgements as described in the CNM protocol of the practice.
• Practices in accord with the standards of care for CNM’s.
• Care is based upon knowledge, skills and judgements that are reflected in written policies and protocols of the practice.
• Describes the parameters for the service/practice for nurse mid-wifery management, physician management and collaborative management.
• Establishes practice guidelines for each specialty area, which include but are not limited to: Antepartum;  Criteria for admission to the nurse mid-wife service; Parameters and methods for assessing the progress of pregnancy; Parameters and methods for assessing fetal well being; Indicators of risk in pregnancy and appropriate intervention; Parameters for medications prescribed/used during pregnancy.   
•  Intrapartum:  Parameters and methods for assessing progress of labor and birth.  Parameters and methods for assessing maternal and fetal status.  Parameters for medications and solutions prescribed/used during labor and birth.  Management of birth and the immediate postpartum period. Methods to facilitate the newborn’s adaptation to extrauterine life. Significant deviations from normal and appropriate interventions. Parameters and methods for assessing the immediate well being of the newborn.            

Duties & Responsibilities

• Postpartum/Newborn   Parameters and methods for assessing the postpartum status of the mother.  Parameters and methods for assessing the well being of the newborn.  Parameters for medications prescribed/used in the puerperium. Significant deviations from normal and appropriate interventions.    Family Planning/Gynecology   Parameters and methods for assessing general physical and emotional status of the patient.  Parameters for medications and devices prescribed/used. Significant deviations from normal and appropriate interventions.
• Care is provided in a safe environment.
• Demonstrates knowledge of and utilizes federal and state regulations that apply to practice
• Environment and infection control.
• Promotes adequate staffing in the clinical setting where the CNM practices.
• Demonstrates appropriate techniques for emergency management including arrangements for emergency transportation.
• Care utilizes appropriate resources for referrals to meet the medical, psychosocial, economic and cultural or family needs of the patient.
• Demonstrates a safe mechanism for obtaining medical consultation, collaboration and referral.
• Uses community resources.
• Demonstrates knowledge of medical, psychosocial, economic, cultural and family factors that may effect care.
• Care is documented in legible, complete health records.
• Uses records that facilitate communication of information to consultants and institutions.
• Facilitates patient’s access to their records.
• Provides written documentation of risk assessment, course of management, and outcome of care.
• Provides for prompt entry on the health record of laboratory tests, treatments, and consultations.
• Provides a mechanism for sending a copy of the health record on referral or transfer to other levels of care.
• Treats records as confidential documents.
• Care is evaluated according to an established program for quality assessment that includes a plan to identify and resolve problems.
• Participates in a program of quality assurance/improvement for the evaluation of the nurse mid-wifery practice within the practice setting in which it occurs within legal requirements.
• Collects patient care data systematically and is involved in the analysis of that data for the evaluation of the process and outcome of care.
• Seeks consultation to review problems identified by the quality assurance/improvement program.
• Acts to resolve problems that are identified.
• Participates in peer review.
• Documents all situations, both internally and externally, that may arise out of the ordinary or are necessary to maintain accurate patient charts/records.
• Helps maintain the work area in a neat and orderly fashion. Responsible for keeping supplies necessary to perform the job duties.