Midwives play an important role in the delivery of babies. They help expectant mothers safely deliver and offer emotional support and guidance before, during, and after delivery. For these reasons, birthing centers and hospitals employ quite a number. They can also work in patients’ homes.
Our article will cover the job description of a midwife, including roles, responsibilities, and different requirements, i.e., education, experience, skills, and knowledge. We have also included two resume examples to help you craft the best resume in case you are applying for a new job. At the end of the article is a FAQ section that will answer some of the questions you may have about midwife resumes. Let’s get started.
Midwife Job Description
Midwives work with expectant mothers throughout the pregnancy period up until delivery. These professionals identify high-risk pregnancies, mentor student midwives, offer emotional support and assistance before, during, and after childbirth, provide antenatal care education to patients and families and refer their patients to different specialists.
They can work in birthing centers, hospitals, or patients’ homes. Success in this field requires higher levels of patience and compassion, excellent communication skills, the ability to build trusting relationships with patients, and excellent interpersonal skills. Midwives must also be ready and willing to offer post-natal care to their patients.
Midwife Roles and Responsibilities
- Providing emotional support and guidance to expectant mothers before, during, and after childbirth
- Educating their patients and family members on reproductive health and maternal care
- Mentoring student midwives to ensure growth and advancement of the profession
- Closely monitoring the health of expectant mothers and their unborn children
- Helping patients come up with suitable bath plans
- Providing emotional support to patients dealing with termination, neonatal deaths, miscarriages, and stillbirth ( this extends to their patients’ partners too)
- Helping first-time mothers and their partners prepare for parenthood
- Preparing expectant mothers for labor by taking them through different pain management techniques
- Checking and recording patient’s vitals, including their temperature, blood pressure, and pulse
- Arranging for diagnostic tests where necessary
- Delivering babies in hospitals, patients’ homes, and birthing centers
- Offering emotional support and encouragement to patients when in labor
- Offering advice to patients on issues such as exercises, diets, and the right medications during and after pregnancy
- Teaching first-time mothers how to feed their babies
- Organizing and leading pregnancy and parenting classes and workshops
- Ensuring that mothers receive post-natal support in liaison with different agencies and social care professionals
- Conducting post-natal visits for a given number of days
- Offering sound information and advice on treatment
- Coaching people interested in getting children on the self-administering of fertility drugs
- Referring patients to obstetricians whenever there are medical complications
- Informing expectant mothers about their options during childbirth, allowing them to make good decisions based on their needs and preferences
- Participating in healthcare-related research and exploring different educational opportunities
- Conducting regular health assessments on patients
- Assisting caesareans with the safe delivery of babies
- Conducting gynecological examinations
- Offering assistance to surgeons and physicians during complicated births
Midwife Required Knowledge and Skills
- Specialized knowledge of childbirth and patient assessment
- Ability to work well under pressure
- Ability to work in a fast-paced environment
- Excellent decision-making and crisis intervention skills
- Emotional maturity and resilience
- Ability to build strong and lasting relationships with expectant mothers
- Excellent observational skills
- Ability to work and collaborate with people from different backgrounds
- Excellent team-working skills
- High degrees of patience and compassion
- Ability to stand for long durations
- Excellent problem-solving skills
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Ability to mentor and educate
- Ability to multitask
- Excellent time management skills
Midwife Education and Experience
- Bachelor’s/ Associate’s Degree in nursing or related field
- Certification from the American Midwifery Certification Board/ Completion of a recognized midwifery educational program
- Relevant state licensure
- Midwifery-related certifications, e.g., Neonatal Resuscitation Program( NRP) and Basic Life Support( BLS) Certifications
- Proven experience working as a midwife/ under the supervision of a qualified midwife
- Experience performing CPR and other emergency measures
- Additional education( not mandatory, but can be a plus)
Midwife Salary
As of September 2022, Glassdoor places the average base pay of midwives at $114,000, which is pretty lucrative. Some are also entitled to additional payments amounting to $9,000+
Midwife CV Example 1
Bill Tedd
Physical address: 2780 Benton Lane, Kissimmee, Florida, 35786
Email address: billtedd1030@gmail.com
Phone number: (408) 678-9086
Personal Profile
Certified Nurse Midwife with 9+ years of experience as a registered nurse and midwife. Professional childbirth expert, having participated in delivering 500+ babies, and working with mothers from different states and nationalities. Excellent communicator capable of building trusting and long-lasting relationships with expectant mothers
Work Experience
04/2019- 04/2022, Senior Maternity Staff Nurse, Get Well Hospitals, San Francisco, California
- Offered guidance and supervision to 20+ maternity nurses and nursing students for optimal patient care
- Regularly coached midwives to ensure the successful delivery of healthy babies
- Managed the admission, transfer, and discharge of 50+ patients daily
- Collaborated with six inter-professional teams for quality improvement plans and intervention implementation
- Led and participated in 4 clinical risk and quality improvement initiatives within the facility
- Assisted in the development of individualized health education plans for a 1,500+ patient base
- Managed successful care coordination transition between 3 inter-disciplinary teams
- Performed annual performance review for junior nursing staff, identifying areas in dire need of improvement
04/2016- 03/2019, Midwife, Brooklyn Medical Solutions, Brooklyn, New York
- Spent 20+ hours weekly in-home visits offering prenatal care to patients unable to make regular visits to the clinic for treatments and assessments
- Helped 30+ mothers cope with and overcome postpartum depression annually through emotional support and guidance
- Helped 100+ new parents successfully transition to parenthood through sound advice and proper education
- Monitored 20+ newborns daily for signs of complications or illnesses
- Worked closely with a 12-member midwife team to educate parents on child development and childcare techniques
- Named the best midwife of the year in 2018
- Mentored five junior midwives on hospital policies, procedures, and general practices
10/2012- 03/2016, Registered Nurse Avenue General Hospital, Tampa, Florida
- Administered medication to 50+ patients daily, monitoring them for reactions and side effects
- Provided emotional support and counseling to family members in coping with patient conditions
- Observed and documented patient needs and responses, modifying health treatment plans to reflect them
- Coordinated with a 15-member interdisciplinary team to meet patient care plans
- Named the best employee of the year in 2015
- Attended an ELNEC ( End of Life Nursing Consortium) training to build on professional skills and competence
- Recorded vital signs and medical information for 20+ patients daily
- Mentored three junior registered nurses on the facility’s policies, medical procedures, and applicable techniques
- Collaborated with ten other registered nurses to provide quality comprehensive health care and consultation to clients
- Maintained consistent communication with 10+ specialists, including surgeons, general physicians, and technicians, for effective healthcare management
- Included educational and discharge planning interventions in care planning for detailed care plans
- Maintained 100% accurate health care reports and records
Education
- 03/2016- 08/2018, Masters of Science in Nurse Midwifery, State University of New York, Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY
- 03/2008- 05/2012, Bachelor of Science in Nursing, The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
- 04/2005- 11/2007, High School Diploma, Orlando Senior High School, Orlando, Florida
Skills
- Languages
- German
- English
- French
Technical Skills
- Patient care
- Fetal testing
- Fetal acid monitoring
- Electronic Health Record software
- Obstetrics
- Diagnostic testing
- Fetal movement counts
- Birthing simulation
- Nursing
- CPR
- First Aid
Soft Skills
- Verbal and written communication
- Empathy
- Adaptability
- Ability to work well under pressure
- Collaboration
- Teamwork
- Compassion
- Organizational
- Flexibility
- Decision-making
- Interpersonal
- Time management
- Critical thinking
Certifications
- 05/15, Advanced Cardiac Life Support Certification, American Heart Association
- 03/14, Basic Life Support Certification, American Heart Association
Midwife CV Example 2
Charlotte Adrien
Physical address: 2345 Stallion Drive, Sorrento, Florida, 35890
Email address: adriencharlottez5@gmail.com
Phone number: (430) 890-6754
Personal Profile
Professional midwife with 9+ years of experience working in maternity wards and child delivery centers. Expert in maternal and child health with excellent observational and communication skills needed for successful child delivery. Self-motivated health professional ready to steer the hospital to greater heights.
Work Experience
06/2018- 09/2022, Midwife Supervisor, Prime Healthcare, Austin, TX
- Supervised and supported 15+ midwives and five midwife assistants for the efficient operation of the facility
- Supervised six main activities in the maternity department, i.e., family planning consultations, ante-natal consultation, delivery follow-up, post-natal consultations, after-delivery follow-up, and newborn vaccination
- Liaised with seven medical doctors and obstetricians to cater to patients in need of special care
- Ensured the implementation and upholding of universal hygiene standards and precautions by all midwives when dealing with patients
- Facilitated teamwork and collaboration between the maternity and five facility departments
- Participated in the hiring, training, and orientation of 10 junior midwives
- Planned and coordinated weekly training and coaching sessions for all midwives to ensure the provision of quality health care to expectant mothers
- Planned and organized work in the maternity department
03/2016- 05/2018, Midwife, Mater General Hospital, Chicago, Illinois
- Collected, tendered, reported, and analyzed data in a 70-staff population facility
- Offered direct support to the director of nursing in the successful management of the nursing department
- Actively participated in the safe delivery of 500+ babies
- Tactfully inserted and removed intrauterine devices daily
- Participated in a high school volunteers program aimed at educating adolescents about reproductive health
- Educated new parents on four main childcare areas, i.e., diaper changing techniques, child nutrition, breastfeeding, and safety measures
- Promoted breast cancer awareness by teaching mothers the different breast self-examination techniques to uncover signs of breast cancer
03/2012- 02/2016, Maternity Nurse, Safe Clinics, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Administered daily medication and injections to 40+ patients in accordance with physician directives
- Monitored patients’ diets and sleeping patterns and recorded 100% accurate information
- Assessed the physical health, weight, and height of 30+ new mother’s daily
- Helped 1000+ mothers deal with postpartum depression and parenthood transition through emotional support and guidance
- Created and maintained trusting relationships with expectant mothers for the successful delivery of babies
- Educated at least 15 new parents daily on infant safety, childcare procedures, nutrition, and general child development, helping them smoothly transition to parenthood
- Conducted three weekly home visits to offer prenatal care and progress monitoring to expectant mothers
Education
- 05/2015- 12/2017, Masters of Science in Maternal and Child Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- 04/2008- 12/2012, Bachelor of Science in Nursing, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida
- 05/2005- 10/2007, High School Diploma, Tampa College Preparatory School, Tampa, Florida
Skills
- Languages
- French
- English
- Italian
Hard Skills
- Patient care
- Documentation
- Fetal testing
- Fetal acid monitoring
- Diagnostic testing
- First Aid
- CPR
- Ultrasound
- Physical assessment
- Neonatal care
- Prenatal care
Soft Skills
- Ability to work well under pressure
- Compassion
- Teamwork
- Flexibility
- Empathy
- Decision making
- Time management
- Active listening
- Adaptability
- Leadership
Certifications
- 05/2015, Obstetric Fetal Monitoring Certification, National Certification Corporation
- 03/2014, Basic Life Support, American Heart Association
Midwife Resume Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Which are Some of the Common Keywords in Midwife Resumes?
Keywords are skills, industry knowledge, and general terms that can be used to optimize your resume, helping you get past applicant tracking systems. They are normally indicated in job listings and should be evenly spread in the resume for better results. Here are a few to use in your midwife resume: basic life support (BLS), Advanced Life Support (ACLS), prenatal care, postpartum care, pediatrics, labor & delivery support, neonatal care, fetal monitoring, patient education, patient safety, delivery room, certified professional midwife, certified nurse midwife, electronic medical record, ultrasound, wellness, and fetal monitoring.
Additional keywords to get you past applicant tracking systems include emotional support, labor, obstetrics, family medicine, birth plan, healthcare management, healthcare, nursing, hospitals, clinical research, maternal-fetal wellness, maternal-fetal medicine, pregnancy, pregnant, midwifery, and maternity care. Remember, without the right number of keywords in your resume; you may not be lucky enough to be noticed by the hiring manager.
2. What Other Roles Will Keywords Play in My Midwife Resume Other Than Getting Past the Applicant Tracking System?
First, keywords can be a way of telling the hiring manager that you have all it takes for successful job execution. Remember, most keywords either take the form of action verbs, thus allowing you to shed more light on a past role, or adjectives denoting a quality needed in a performance. Proper usage will supplement the strength of your experience section, making your resume more outstanding.
Second, keywords can show industry knowledge since some are often specific to a given industry or job. They directly inform the hiring manager that you understand the job description and can thrive, given a chance. However, do not use these keywords blindly, but ensure that you capture the employer’s needs.
3. Which Technical Skills Should I Include in My Resume?
Midwives need certain abilities and knowledge to attend to their midwifery duties; referred to as technical skills. They ensure successful task execution. Some of these skills worth including in your resume are the ability to conduct fetal movement counts, ability to conduct fetal testing, excellent fetal acid monitoring, ability to ensure fetal well-being, electronic health record operation and management skills, proficiency in birthing simulation software, and obstetrics.
Additional technical skills include excellent patient care management, documentation, correct physical assessment, diagnostic testing, first aid, ultrasound, CPR, and superb nursing skills. Remember, you can list these skills in your technical skills subsection and showcase them in your work experience section.
4. Which Certifications Apply to a Midwife Resume?
Obtain the right midwife certifications to validate your ability to participate in the birthing process of babies. You can either go for the certified nurse midwife certification or the certified midwives certification, popularly known as CM. The American Midwifery Certification Board offers these two, the main difference being that certified midwives certification( CM) does not require nursing experience. Other certifications that apply include:
- Basic Life Support Certification– This is perhaps the most common certification for midwives. It is offered by the American Heart Association and covers areas such as CPR for adults, children, and infants; choking relief; American Heart Association’s Chain of Survival; multi rescuer resuscitation; and how to use an automated external defibrillator.
- Obstetric Fetal Monitoring Certification– The National Certifications Corporation offers this certification, which only applies to paramedics, nurse practitioners, physicians, registered nurses, paramedics, and physician assistants. It shows the ability to perform fetal monitoring and related data interpretation.
- Required Advanced Cardiac Life Support( ACLS) Certification– Like the first, this certification is also offered by the American Heart Association. It builds on the Basic Life Support Certification. It covers effective chest compressions, bag-mask devices, and managing obstructed airways, to mention a few.
Other certifications worth considering include Inpatient Obstetric Nursing (RNC-OB) certification and Neonatal Resuscitation Program( NRP) certification.
5. Which Are Some of the Commonly Recognized Types of Midwives?
Remember that there are different types of midwives, each with their levels of education and training. The most common type is the certified nurse-midwife, a highly educated and trained professional with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing and a Master’s in Midwifery. They mostly work in hospitals and clinics.
A relatively common type is the Certified Midwife( CM), comprised of midwives with a Bachelor’s degree in nursing or a related field. They must also have an American College of Nurse-Midwives certification, which is unfortunately not recognized in some places. The last two common types are the Certified Professional Midwife( CPM) and the Direct Entry Midwife (DEM)