Report Broken Link

Midwifery - The People Profession

Abstract:

Midwifery is a people profession - women becoming mothers, babies, fathers, families and midwives, and the relationship between the people. The consumers and midwives of New Zealand have exemplified this belief and attitude in the development of a way of working that emphasises relationships. This has been further borne out by the development of a philosophy of practice that is based on a partnership relationship between women and midwives (Guilliland and Pairman, 1995). The initiative to bring about changes in legislation which enabled midwives to work in a partnership relationship with women in settings of the women's choice was a model which other professions have still to emulate. Midwifery in New Zealand has come a long way since 1990 and certainly made an impact on me when I came to New Zealand at the end of 1993. It would be unfair to compare a developed country with a developing one where the politics, the needs, standards of living and the populations are so different. Yet there are aspects that warrant comparison, not as a criticism of one country or as a point of praise for the other, bur rather as a critique of practices so that the good and bad points of each system can be assessed. One hopes then too that past mistakes will not be repeated or allow detrimental health/economic policies to affect the way one is able to practise in the future.

 view online article View Document

midwifery profession, midwifery relationships, partnership, South Africa