Hearing the word midwife leaves many people thinking of unprofessional, inexperienced women who help deliver babies naturally, without the help of medication. In truth, nurse-midwives are registered nurses who have attended additional schooling for women’s health and are taught to make women feel as comfortable as possible. In the beginning, remedies were the females’ legacies, their “birthright”; these females were known as “wise-women by the people, witches of charlatans by authorities”. (Ehrenreich, 1973). “Females were wanderers, traveling from one place to another, healing the sick and wounded.” (Ehrenreich 1973). These women were among the first human healers and they were especially helpful when it came to childbearing. The midwives had many remedies for common treatments, including ones that dealt with childbirth. “Countless types of their remedies are still in use today by our own pharmaceutical companies”. (Ehrenreich, 1973). As time progressed, the women had to fight long and hard for their rights; the right to vote, the right to work, and the right to go to school. In earlier centuries and even a couple of measly decades ago, many of those rights were denied to females. Men ruled the world, and with it, the women. They were the priests, the household heads, basically the alpha dogs which left the women in charge of the house and the kids. They were the physicians of their time and that was all they had. As stated above, midwives were the original OB/GYNs, their medicine is still being used, indirectly, to this very day, and they still found ways to keep improving their amenities by “providing the same services your OB/GYN would offer.” (Doherty, 2010). By informing Americans about the education of Certified Nurse-Midwi...
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...our body, whether you are pregnant or not, odds are that you will experience a “normal pregnancy”. Some believe that choosing to be cared for by a midwife is one of the best decisions that a woman can make for herself. Nurse-midwives get a great amount of training because “Certified nurse-midwives are registered nurses who have graduated from a nurse-midwifery education program accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education (ACME) and have passed a national certification examination to receive the professional designation of certified nurse-midwife.” (Credentials, 2010). Choosing a midwife will lower the cost of exams, contraceptives, and birthing procedures; it will give one choices to their own setting for delivery and with their care there will come a resilient bond between patient and midwife that will remain steady for many years to come.
Contrary to having doctors deliver babies today, midwives were called upon to deliver babies during the eighteenth century. There were many more midwives than there were doctors during that time. In addition, Martha served as a midwife, nurse, physician, mortician, pharmacist, and attentive wife simultaneously (40). Aside from being able to deliver babies, midwives were also highly experienced in medical care—they tended to wounds, diagnosed illnesses, and made medicine. Midwives were more accessible and abundant when compared to doctors—they did not require any formal training or education. When the medical field was underdeveloped, the midwives were the leading resource when it was related to medical conflicts.
The Grand Midwives, a term we now wish to honor them with, are still among us. Some are with us in spirit, and a few are still with us today. Two midwives who told their stories before passing on were, Onnie Lee Logan in her book, Motherwit, An Alabama Midwife 's Story, and Why Not Me ? The story of Gladys Milton, Midwife by Wendy Bovard and Gladys Milton. One midwife of a few still living is Margaret Charles Smith from Alabama. You can read her story in her book titled Listen To Me Good: The Story of an Alabama Midwife. These three midwives have shared their story with us so that we can understand our history in Midwifery. Midwives can be found throughout the United States and across the sea. In many states Midwifery is still unlawful. Some states have managed to pass laws that have made midwifery a free state to practice in. Those who practice laid midwifery in restricted states do so because they believe that families ought to have the right to birth where they want and to be attended by whom they choose. They believe in freedom and exercise this belief as Harriet Tubman once did. Many midwives today believe they were called to serve the pregnant mother as the midwives of yesterday. They serve with pride and dignity, something that no man will ever take away. As long as there are mothers upon the stool, there will always be
"I had traveled much on the Kennebec, by water, by ice, and, during those treacherous seasons when the river was neither one nor the other, by faith" (e.g., A Midwife's Tale). Martha's diary is one of the few documents written by a woman that exist today and that describes the behavior, occupation, roles, and daily activities of a common society in the 18th century during and after the Revolution. Although she dedicates her whole life to help others and her family, the diary exposes a very different world with the very different community. Many other history documents lacked the problems of women and the lack of written documents by the female gender. Through this document, Martha gives the importance of women in the community and how they
Johnson, K. C., & Daviss, B. A. (2005). Outcomes of planned home births with certified professional midwives: large prospective study in North America. Bmj, 330(7505), 1416.
Women's Health Nurse Practitioner (WHNP) nursing programs prepare students to deliver primary healthcare to women throughout their lifespan. This nursing specialty program consists of in-depth theory, pathos-physiology, research application, pharmacological therapy, and critical thinking skills based on clinical studies. Prospective nursing students are expected to meet the requirements of the nursing program, including full-range comprehension of reproductive-gynecologic health. Prospective students should seek accredited nursing programs that meets the guidelines for women's health nursing education established by the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses and the National Organization of Nurse Practitioners of Women's Health. Prospective nursing students should conduct the proper research to determine if the institution has obtained accreditation through the National Association of Nurse Practitioners.
The term "reproductive rights" has become synonymous with abortion rights, birth control access, and issues surrounding reproductive technologies, yet the struggle for a woman's right to choose when and how to become pregnant often overshadows a woman's right to choose where and how to give birth. The lack of feminist discourse and activism surrounding issues of childbirth may attest to the hegemony in the modern American birth ritual of increasing medical intervention from obstetricians in hospital settings. There are currently several movements to challenge this dominant birth model--prepared childbirth advocates offer education classes and natural childbirth advocates lobby for the rights of midwives and home births--but I refrain from giving either of these movements a feminist label because neither are invested in challenging prevailing gender ideology or the equation of woman with motherhood. This paper will argue that a feminist discourse of childbirth is necessary by using a Foucauldian analysis to chart the current web of power and knowledge in the American hospital delivery room and how it works to deny agency to women in labor, alienating them from their experience. Recognizing that power and knowledge operate on a myriad of levels and tactics, including counter-tactics, I will not limit my focus to the dominant discourse of medical experts, but also explore what I call counter discourses of childbirth, particularly from the prepared childbirth and natural childbirth advocates. Within this discussion, I hope to offer suggestions on a feminist ethic of childbirth that reaffirms women's autonomy during labor, but does not limit them to prevailing codes o...
Define Nursing Nursing is a knowledge-based profession within the health care sector that focuses on the overall care of individuals. According to The American College of Nurse Practitioners (ACNP), “defines nurse practitioners as registered nurses who have received graduate-level nursing education and clinical training, which enables them to provide a wide range of preventative and acute health care services to individuals of all ages. They deliver high-quality, cost effective care, often performing physical examinations, ordering tests, making diagnoses, and prescribing and managing medication and therapies”. Nurse Practitioners are able to specialize in a particular area, such as family and adult practice, pediatrics, and women’s health; and refer patients to other specialists when necessary. Some nurse practitioners work under the supervision of a physician while others run their own practices.
Throughout history mankind has come up with some wonderful inventions and innovations, but out of all the creations by far the most beautiful and precious is human birth. I first developed an interest in nursing and in particular midwifery years ago. I believe it is a great service within the health profession because of the privileged position to assist in human childbirth. The word midwife means with woman. Centuries before obstetricians delivered babies, midwifes assisted women in having at home births. But it was only formally established as a profession in the early 1900’s. A nurse-midwife is a registered nurse that specializes in midwifery. The job of midwife is to assist in family planning and birth control advice, provide general gynecological services (such as pap smears and breast exams), aid women in childbirth, and help women by providing prenatal and postpartum care. Nurse-midwives are required to have a Master’s of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree and pass the American College of Nurse Midwifery (ACNM) board examination to obtain certification.
Their work environments include a physician’s office, hospitals, nursing care facilities, schools, and clinics. Nurse midwives also work in birthing centers. Some may even treat patients in the comfort of their patient’s home. Also, they may travel long distances to help care to patients in places wh...
A labor and delviery nurse has vast knowledge of the process and methods that are required for delivery and bring a new life into the world and is educated with the responsibilities of assiting the new born babies with their medical issues. Considering all the responsibilites needed to take on this career, such as assisting women with complications within the pregnancy, delivering a newborn and managing post birth issuses, the nurse must be professional in his or her work at all times. All people wishing to pursue the career of being a Labor and Delivery Nurse must also have good analytical skills, as part of there job to montior and analyze the mother and child (CollegeAtlas.org).
Dealing with babies and people is something I love, and I want to incorporate that into a job. That’s why becoming an Ultrasound Technician is something I was to pursue because I have the heart for working in the medical field, I love babies, and I will be constantly using skills every day on the job. I have been influenced by my family and friends because they always tell me how I have the heart for working in the medical field. They say I would absolutely love it if I stick with it. My personality assessment and interest inventory told me that I would be best in working in a health career because of my ability to constantly help people and how much I care about my accomplishments. I care more about my prestige and accomplishments than my
...o find a balance between interventional and non-interventional birth. With this being said, I also understand that there are strict policies and protocols set in place, which I must abide to as a healthcare provider, in any birth setting. Unfortunately, these guidelines can be abused. Christiane Northrup, MD, a well recognized and respected obstetrician-gynecologist has gone as far as to tell her own daughters that they should not give birth in a hospital setting, with the safest place being home (Block, 2007, p. xxiii). Although I am not entirely against hospital births, I am a firm believe that normal, healthy pregnancies should be fully permissible to all midwives. However, high-risk pregnancies and births must remain the responsibility of skilled obstetricians. My heart’s desire is to do what is ultimately in the best interest of the mother, and her unborn child.
Pairman,S., Tracy, S., Thorogood, C., & Pincombe, J. (2013). Theoretical frameworks for midwifery practice. Midwifery: Preparation for practice.(2nd ed, pp. 313-336). Chatswood, N.S.W. : Elsevier Australia
Chances are that terms such as “midwife” and “home birth” conjure up for you old-fashioned images of childbirth. These words may bring to mind scenes from old movies, but you’re not likely to associate them with the modern image of childbirth. Do you know anyone who has had a midwife-assisted birth or a home birth? Would you consider one?
Women, children, and families have better lives because of the work of certified nurse-midwives. I have always wanted to make a difference-and have a positive influence on health care, which has lead me to my interest of the midwifery profession. To learn more about midwifery I chose to interview Kathleen London-Lopes. Mrs. Lopes is a board certified nurse midwife at Highland Obstetrics and Gynecology, in Fallriver Massachusetts. Along with the information she gave me about being a midwife I also researched information on onetonline.org. I believe my desire to care for others and promote women and infant health are two qualities I posses to become a successful nurse midwife.