Professional and normative standards in midwifery in six Southeast European countries: A policy case study

Abstract

The aim of this study is to consider possibilities of defining common professional and normative standards of the midwifery profession in six neighbouring Southeast European countries, and to create preconditions for the internationalisation of midwifery studies and form of continuous midwifery education, based on a common core curriculum. This article consists of three parts. First, the basic guidelines on the professional standards of the midwifery profession are introduced and analysed. Special emphasis is placed on quantitative and qualitative analyses of the teaching programmes according to which midwives are educated in Croatia and neighbouring countries. The emphasis is on: a) acquisition of knowledge aimed at professional obligations and responsibilities, b) application of knowledge, skills and competences to midwifery practice, and c) improvement of the quality of midwifery care in the best interest of patients/clients, newborns, and members of their families. Second, the normative standards of midwifery profession are presented. The framework of the normative standards consists of legal and ethical norms that oblige midwives to provide quality midwifery care and to act in a professionally responsible manner. The laws and ethical codes of the neighbouring countries are analysed, with which application midwives can assess their everyday practices and activities in relation to how much these activities are ethical and allowed by legal norms. Third, the activities of the professional associations of midwives are presented; their organizational, contextual and methodological perspectives, particularly the scope of their participation in the development of the standards of midwifery profession are given; and whether, and in what measure, the external evaluation of the accomplished learning outcomes is conducted, based on the level of midwifery education. Recommendations are outlined in the conclusions.

Midwifery Now: Narratives about Motivations for Career Choice

“…However, in the European Union(EU), although the vocational/professional model is giving way to a graduate/academic teaching model [16,17], there are differences such as the proportion of theoretical versus practical hours [18] or in more conflicting aspects such as the academic undergraduate level versus graduate or master's studies [19]. There are also differences even in terms of duration and access, as we can see in the United Kingdom or Malta, where midwives' education lasts three years, or in Croatia, where access to the course is possible after finishing high school (8 years of basic schooling) [20]. In fact, as an example, although some studies indicate a master's academic level in Portugal and Spain [21], this is not absolutely true.…”

“…In France, Sages-Femmes are recognized as competent to prescribe certain medications (haemostatics, local anaesthetics) and auxiliary diagnostic tests (radiography, ultrasound) [22]. In Portugal and Spain it is necessary to have completed initial training in nursing to be a midwife, while in others, this has a pejorative implication, as the absence of legal emancipation between nursing and obstetrics is questionable [20].…”