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Midwifery education without nursing as prerequisite

Abstract:

For a number of years, which included the passing of the Nurses Act in 1977, entry to midwifery without nursing as a prerequisite has not been possible. Midwifery has been viewed as an extension of nursing, and for many nurses the additional qualification was needed to advance their career. Since the early 1970s until recently, the number of midwives registering in New Zealand had diminished. Many of the midwives presently in practice have been educated and registered outside New Zealand. Since early 1980s there has been a steadily growing opposition by women to the medicalisation of childbirth in New Zealand which has followed trends in the United Kingdom and the United States of America. There has also been a growing demand for greater choice in childbirth related health care. Women's choice is often a higher profile midwifery care. As well as the demand for a greater midwifery focus, there has been an increasing number of women seeking an education to practice [sic] midwifery, which does not have nursing as a prerequisite. Although attempts have been made to address the problem of providing an adequate education and meeting service needs, all education to prepare midwives has been based upon the premise that mdwifery is a specialism of nursing.

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autonomy, consumer choice, direct entry midwifery education, women-centred care