Certified Nurse Midwives

Key Responsibilities

• Collaborate in research studies.
• Monitor fetal growth and well-being through heartbeat detection, body measurement, and palpation.
• Evaluate patients' laboratory and medical records, requesting assistance from other practitioners when necessary.
• Respond to breech birth presentations by applying methods such as exercises or external version.
• Establish and follow emergency or contingency plans for mothers and newborns.
• Assess the status of post-date pregnancies to determine treatments and interventions.
• Develop, implement, or evaluate individualized plans for midwifery care.
• Conduct ongoing prenatal health assessments, tracking changes in physical and emotional health.
• Monitor maternal condition during labor by checking vital signs, monitoring uterine contractions, or performing physical examinations.
• Provide patients with contraceptive and family planning information.
• Perform post-partum health assessments of mothers and babies at regular intervals.
• Estimate patients' due dates and re-evaluate as necessary based on examination results.
• Provide comfort and relaxation measures for mothers in labor through interventions such as massage, breathing techniques, hydrotherapy, or music.
• Inform patients of how to prepare and supply birth sites.
• Identify, monitor, or treat pregnancy-related problems such as hypertension, gestational diabetes, pre-term labor, or retarded fetal growth.
• Recommend the use of vitamin and mineral supplements to enhance the health of patients and children.
• Perform annual gynecologic exams, including pap smears and breast exams.
• Complete birth certificates.
• Test patients' hemoglobin, hematocrit, and blood glucose levels.
• Maintain documentation of all patients' contacts, reviewing and updating records as necessary.
• Provide information about community health and social resources.
• Assist maternal patients to find physical positions that will facilitate childbirth.
• Collect specimens for use in laboratory tests.
• Assess birthing environments to ensure cleanliness, safety, and the availability of appropriate supplies.
• Counsel women regarding the nutritional requirements of pregnancy.
• Set up or monitor the administration of oxygen or medications.
• Provide, or refer patients to other providers for, education or counseling on topics such as genetic testing, newborn care, contraception, or breastfeeding.
• Identify tubal and ectopic pregnancies and refer patients for treatments.
• Compile and evaluate clinical practice statistics.
• Provide information about the physical and emotional processes involved in the pregnancy, labor, birth, and postpartum periods.
• Provide necessary medical care for infants at birth, including emergency care such as resuscitation.
• Obtain complete health and medical histories from patients including medical, surgical, reproductive, or mental health histories.
• Incorporate research findings into practice as appropriate.
• Suture perineal lacerations.
• Refer patients to specialists for procedures such as ultrasounds or biophysical profiles.
• Treat patients' symptoms with alternative health care methods such as herbs or hydrotherapy.