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Professionalism: The importance of consumer control over childbirth

Abstract:

[Please note: A letter to the editor regarding this article is published in Issue 2] Last year, 1988, was a momentous one for New Zealand midwives. After decades of dragging the chain, we finally broke free and formed our own 'professional' organisation - the New Zealand College of Midwives - in order to speak for ourselves and improve the status of midwives. Just what does professionalism really mean? Further, what should it mean to midwives on the threshold of the 21st century? It is generally acdepted that a profession has a specialised body of knowledge, standardised training and has developed its own standards and code of ethics. These things we have achieved. Further attributes of a profession are it is self-defined and self regulated and legally recognised. These are yet to be achieved - hence the College. While we have defined ourselves according to the WHO definition of a midwife, e.g. as an independent practitioner, legally we are defined as 'obstetric nurses' i.e. as handmaidens to the doctor and are required to work under medical supervision. Casually, we are referred to as 'midwives' and are even licensed as such, e.g. R.M., but this is a relic of the days when we had some autonomy, i.e. prior to the Nruses Act, 1971. Regaining our autonomy is one of the first projects our new College is working on.

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consumer support of midwives, midwifery education, professional autonomy, WHO definition of a midwife