Registration Competence Programmes for overseas midwives
Midwives who register in New Zealand from overseas are likely to have conditions placed on their Scope of Practice. In most cases these will mean that the midwife is required to complete an approved registration competence programme. This programme is currently being reviewed and new programmes are being developed. The programme includes the following:
-
New Zealand maternity system including relevant legislation and the partnership model (this module is being fully revised and is not currently available)
-
Cultural safety
-
The Treaty of Waitangi
-
Pharmacology and Prescribing
-
Examination of the Newborn (under development)
If you have any queries about the requirements please contact the secretariat.
Treaty of Waitangi Workshops
These are generally two-day workshops and they are offered by a variety of providers in most centres in New Zealand. Most District Health Boards make these courses available to their staff. Midwives are also advised to enquire about these courses through local universities and polytechnics, in particular through Schools of Midwifery. Midwives may also obtain informaiton about courses through Network Waitangi, PO Box 5098, Whangarei.
Midwives will need to obtain a certificate of attendance from the provider of the workshop, as evidence that they have completed this requirement. Attendance at a workshop is a separate requirement and is not satisfied by completion of the other modules.
Pharmacology and Prescribing
Midwives in New Zealand have prescribing rights within the Midwifery Scope of Practice. There is no defined list of drugs that a midwife may prescribe. Rather, midwives are entitled to prescribe any drugs which may be necessary for a woman and/or baby for whom the midwife is providing care on her own responsibility. This means that midwives may prescribe drugs in pregnancy, labour and birth and up to six weeks after the birth where the woman is having an uneventful experience and where there is no reason for consultation or referral to a specialist. Midwives may not prescribe drugs for women or babies for complications requiring specialist referral. Midwives from overseas who cannot satisfy the Midwifery Council as to their knowledge and competence in relation to prescribing, will be required to complete a pharmacology and prescribing course.
The following course is approved by the Midwifery Council for this purpose:
| 