Safe Motherhood and Ethical Implication

Subject: Midwifery I (Theory)

Overview

The midwife's unique position provides tremendous satisfaction and reward; however, it also requires her to be accountable for her actions and bear great responsibility; competence, record-keeping responsibility, responsibility to the family, responsibility to the profession, and responsibility to society. The International Confederation of Midwives works to improve the standard of care provided to women, babies, and families around the world via the development, education, and appropriate use of the professional midwife. The ICM develops the following code to guide midwife education, practice, and research in accordance with its purpose of women's health and emphasis on the midwife. This code acknowledges women as human beings, seeks justice for all, and assures parity in healthcare access. It is founded on mutual respect, trust, and human dignity.

Role and Responsibilities of Midwifery Nurse

The midwife's special status provides considerable satisfaction and fulfillment, but it also requires her to be accountable for her actions and places a great weight on her shoulders.

  • Competence
  • Responsibility for record-keeping
  • Responsibility to the family
  • Responsibility to the profession
  • Responsibility to the society

Ethical implication

ICN Code of Ethics of Midwifery

Preamble

The International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) seeks to improve the standard of care offered to women, infants, and families worldwide via the creation, education, and appropriate use of the professional midwife. In keeping with its goal of women's health and emphasis on the midwife, the ICM establishes the following code to guide midwife education, practice, and research. This code recognizes women as humans, pursues justice for all people, and ensures equity in healthcare access. It is founded on mutual relationships of respect, trust, and the dignity of all members of society.

The Code

Midwifery Relationships

  • Midwives recognize a woman's informed right to choose and encourage the woman to assume responsibility for the consequences of her choices.
  • Midwives work with women, supporting their right to actively engage in decisions regarding their care and encouraging women to speak for themselves on issues affecting women's and families' health in their culture/society.
  • Midwives collaborate with women and policymakers to establish women's healthcare needs and ensure that resources are allocated properly based on priorities and availability.
  • Midwives help and support one another in their professional duties, and they actively cultivate their own and others' feeling of self-worth.
  • Midwives collaborate with other health experts, advising and referring as needed when the woman's need for care exceeds the midwife's competencies.
  • Within their field of practice, midwives recognize human interdependence and actively seek to resolve inherent conflicts.

Practice of Midwifery

  • Midwives care for women and childbearing families while respecting cultural differences and seeking to eliminate harmful behaviors within those cultures.
  • Midwives promote reasonable childbirth expectations among women in their local society, with the minimal expectation that no women be injured by conception or childbearing.
  • Midwives apply their professional skills to ensure safe delivery practices in various settings and cultures.
  • Midwives, regardless of their circumstances, attend to the psychological, physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of women seeking health care.
  • Midwives serve as valuable health promotion role models for women throughout their lives, as well as for families and other health professionals.
  • Throughout their midwifery career, midwives actively pursue personal, intellectual, and professional improvement, incorporating this growth into their practice.

The Professional Responsibilities of Midwives

  • Midwives keep client information confidential in order to respect the right to privacy and use discretion when disclosing this information.
  • Midwives are accountable for their decisions and actions, as well as the outcomes of their care for women.
  • Midwives may refuse to participate in activities with which they strongly disagree morally; nonetheless, the emphasis on individual conscience should not deprive women of necessary health care.
  • Midwives play an important role in the creation and implementation of health policies that benefit all women and childbearing families.

Advancement of Midwifery Knowledge and Practice

  • Midwives guarantee that the progress of midwifery knowledge is founded on activities that defend women's rights as individuals.
  • Midwives gain and share knowledge about midwifery through a variety of techniques, including peer review and research.
  • Midwives take part in the official education of both midwifery students and midwives.

References

  • Bennett, V.R.et al (ed), 1999, Myles textbook for midwifery, 13th edition, Churchill Livingstone. Harcourt Brace and a company limited.
  • Tuitui R. 2002, A textbook of Midwifery A (Antenatal), 3rd edition, Vidyarthi Pustak Bhandari (Publisher and Distributor), Bhotahity, Kathmandu
  • Safe motherhood Newsletter, Editorial, June- 2002, Safe motherhood sub-committee co-ordinator. Family health division, Department of Health division, Moh, HMG.
  • Shrestha, I. Nursing role on safe motherhood to reduce maternal mortality, JOUNEN, May 2002, IV (1)
Things to remember
  • The unique status of the midwife brings tremendous satisfaction and reward, it also demands that she is accountable for her actions and it lies upon her great responsibility; competence, responsibility for record-keeping, responsibility to the family, responsibility to the profession, and responsibility to the society.
  • The aim of the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) is to improve the standard of care provided to women, babies, and families throughout the world through the development, education, and appropriate utilization of the professional midwife.
  • In keeping with its aim of women's health and focus on the midwife, the ICM sets forth the following code to guide the education, practice, and research of the midwife.
  • This code acknowledges women as persons, seeks justice for all people and equity in access to health care, and is based on mutual relationships of respect, trust, and the dignity of all members of society.
Questions and Answers

Role and responsibilities of midwifery nurse

The unique position of the midwife brings with it considerable satisfaction and rewards, but it also asks that she take responsibility for her actions:

  • Competence.
  • Responsibility for record keeping.
  • Responsibility to the family.
  • Responsibility to the profession.
  • Responsibility to the society.

The Code

  • Midwifery Relationships:
    • Midwives support a woman's acceptance of responsibility for the results of her decisions and recognize her right to make an educated decision.
    • In their profession, midwives encourage women's rights to actively engage in decisions about their care and give them the confidence to speak up for themselves on matters that have an impact on the health of women and their families in their culture and society.
    • In order to determine women's requirements for health care and to guarantee that resources are appropriately distributed while taking priority and supply into account, midwives collaborate with women and funding and policy organizations.
    • Midwives aggressively promote their own and others' sense of value while supporting and maintaining one another in their professional positions.
    • When the woman's need for care exceeds the competencies of the midwife, they collaborate with other health experts, consulting and referring as necessary.
    • Within their area of expertise, midwives are aware of how interdependent people are and actively work to resolve conflicts that arise naturally.
  • Practice of Midwifery:
    • Respecting cultural variety, midwives provide care for women and families with young children while also striving to end harmful customs within those same communities.
    • With the least expectation being that no woman should be harmed by conception or childbearing, midwives support reasonable expectations of birthing by women within their local community.
    • In all settings and cultures, midwives use their expert knowledge to ensure safe childbirth procedures.
    • Regardless of their circumstances, midwives attend to the psychological, physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of women seeking medical care.
    • For women at all stages of their lives, for families, and for other medical professionals, midwives serve as important role models for health promotion.
    • Throughout their careers as midwives, midwives actively pursue personal, intellectual, and professional growth, incorporating it into their practice.
  • The Professional Responsibilities of Midwives:
    • In order to uphold the right to privacy and exercise discretion when disclosing this information, midwives retain client information in strict confidence.
    • When caring for women, midwives are accountable for their choices and actions as well as the results that follow.
    • Although midwives may choose to abstain from actions they strongly disagree with morally, this emphasis on individual conscience shouldn't prevent women from receiving necessary medical care.
    • In order to improve the health of all women and families with children, midwives take part in developing and implementing health policies.
  • Advancement of Midwifery Knowledge and Practice:
    • Midwives make ensuring that activities that uphold women's human rights serve as the foundation for the growth of midwifery expertise.
    • Through a number of procedures, including peer review and research, midwives produce and exchange midwifery knowledge.
    • The formal education of both midwifery students and midwives is participated in by midwives.

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