Midwife Resources
This is an informative article for women interested in or already having midwifery as a career. Included in here are some tips on how to improve their career search.
What Is It Like Being a Midwife
Midwives have a unique job of managing the healthcare of women. Their techniques are often very holistic in approach. This means they not only focus on a client’s physical well-being, but also on their mental and emotional needs.
Most midwives have an educational background in childbirth and pregnancy assistance, but that is not always the case. Depending on their certifications they may have other aspects in helping women. Some midwives care for post-menopausal women, and some have a focus on breastfeeding education. Some midwives also have nursing degrees and can perform limited-scope gynecological exams. The average salary for a midwife is impressive.
Most make between seventy-five and one hundred thousand dollars a year. Their annual income will depend largely on how many clients they have and their accreditations. A job in healthcare is not always glamorous, despite the hefty pay. It takes someone with a heart for women and infants to be successful.
Free Online Midwife Resources: Study Materials
University Of California Berkeley
For those who would like to learn midwife techniques, University of California Berkeley has great video modules. Students can browse through their array of videos to find out more about the career. The best part is it is no-cost education.
Global Health eLearning Center
Global Health eLearning Center also has free resources for women wanting to learn more about female health care. Most of their educational resources are only available to registrants. New users must create an account to access their informative midwifery materials.
University Of Virginia School Of Medicine
For those just getting started in their feminine health care training, there are superb midwife resources online. One of the best is at the University of Virginia School of Medicine website.
The instructional videos and modules will show beginners how to perform routine physical exams on their clients.
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization is home to some of the best free educational midwife resources. They have six modules available on their website for students to watch. The videos aim to help professionals make fast, logical decisions related to midwifery.
These archives were released in 1996, so they may not prepare students for every new midwife technique. The information up on the site is accurate regardless of it not being new. It also offers great midwife resources for women looking for a more global view of pregnancy practices. Midwives will likely develop an array of clients with different nationalities and backgrounds.
That’s why it’s so important for midwives to understand other points of view outside of typical Western culture. Each module is a complete study. Midwives can watch and learn from each module independently without confusion.
Recent updates have now included the WHO clinical guidelines of today. These modules benefit those with basic health care education more so than beginners with no prior clinical studies.
University Of Nottingham
The University of Nottingham has a whole of the most prestigious midwife resources on the web. Their School of Nursing and Academic Division of Midwifery has reusable learning objects on their site available to the public. These modules will teach midwives how to perform an abdominal exam on pregnant clients.
The information contained therein is very detailed. A lot of the study materials are read aloud by a British speaker. Students will need to have their speakers turned up and be able to understand a British accent. Some of their best videos include information on informed consent, palpation, and inspection.
MedEd PPD
One of the best free online midwife resources for learning is at MedEd PPD. The educational material found on this site will benefit midwives who want to focus on post-partum care. Perinatal hormones can cause a variety of emotional disorders.
The modules available on their site are geared at helping midwives assist their clients who may be suffering. By completing all nine modules, midwives will become eligible for entry into their provider network. An asterisk will then appear beside their full name. This will indicate to clients that they’ve completed basic training in addressing postpartum mental illnesses.
Colleague Resources
American College Of Nurse-Midwives
For those interested in midwife resources geared toward colleague conversations, the American College of Nurse-Midwives has forums.
Prospective midwives can join to talk about important issues related to their education and chosen career.