ICM Midwifery Competencies

Normal Birth includes 11 practice sessions where each session includes:

• Preparation including the scenario
• Practice section
• Post-reflection and debrief

SKILLS AND METHODOLOGIES COVERED

• Practice possible positions for birth
• Mechanism of cephalic presentation during labour and spontaneous birth
• Practice midwifery care during normal birth 2nd stage
• Practice midwifery care during normal birth 3rd stage
• Practice active management of third stage of labour (AMTSL)
• Demonstrate competency in using the WHO Labour Care Guide 
• Manage nuchal cord at birth
• Examination of placenta and membranes 
• Measure blood loss immediately after birth
• Practice breech birth
• Practice twin birth

EXAMPLES OF COMPETENCIES COVERED

• Assume responsibility for own decisions and actions as an autonomous practitioner within the midwifery scope of practice
• Uphold fundamental human rights of individuals when providing midwifery care
• Facilitate normal/physiological birth processes in institutional and community settings, including women’s homes
• Promote normal/physiological labour and birth
• Manage a safe, spontaneous vaginal birth, prevent and manage complications

Postpartum Care includes 4 practice sessions where each session includes:

• Preparation including the scenario
• Practice section
• Post-reflection and debrief

SKILLS AND METHODOLOGIES COVERED

• Provide postpartum assessment of the new mother
• Examine, assess, support and advise on perineal and vaginal tears
• Repair of second-degree perineal tear
• NEW - Remote perinatal mental health assessment postpartum 

EXAMPLES OF COMPETENCIES COVERED

• Provide postnatal care for the healthy woman
• Demonstrate respectful and effective interpersonal communication with women and families, health care professionals, teams, and community groups
• Detect, treat, and stabilise postnatal complications in women and refer as necessary
• Promote and support breastfeeding
• Adhere to national, state and local laws, regulatory requirements, and codes of conduct for midwifery practice

Complicated Birth includes 13 practice sessions where each session includes:

• Preparation including the scenario
• Practice section
• Post-reflection and debrief

SKILLS AND METHODOLOGIES COVERED

• Practice vacuum birth
• Manage shoulder dystocia
• Manage primary postpartum hemorrhage
• Management of PPH using UBT (uterine balloon tamponade)
• Practice manual removal of retained placenta
• Perform abdominal aortic compression
• Practice bimanual compression
• Manage maternal shock
• Administer local anesthesia before performing an episiotomy
• Practice an episiotomy on a woman during second stage of labour
• Advise on the warning signs of hypertensive disorders
• Management of eclampsia in pregnancy
• Prepare loading dose of Magnesium Sulphate for severe pre-eclampsia

EXAMPLES OF COMPETENCIES COVERED

• Assume responsibility for own decisions and actions as an autonomous practitioner within the midwifery scope of practice
• Collaborate effectively with other health care professionals
• Manage a safe, spontaneous vaginal birth, prevent and manage complications
• Detect, treat, and stabilise postnatal complications in women and refer as necessary

Family Planning includes 7 practice sessions where each session includes:

• Preparation including the scenario
• Practice section
• Post-reflection and debrief

SKILLS AND METHODOLOGIES COVERED

• Provide counselling on family planning and contraceptive methods
• Counsel and advise on emergency contraceptive pill (ECP)
• Demonstrate condom application
• Insertion of Intra Uterine Device (IUCD)  in the postpartum period
• Practice removal of Intra Uterine Contraceptive Device  (IUCD)
• Perform insertion of an Implant
• Supervising a midwifery student in the removal of an implant

EXAMPLES OF COMPETENCIES COVERED

• Support women to make choices and decisions about care
• Assess the health status, screen for health risks, and promote general health and wellbeing of adolescent girls, women
• Use research to inform practice
• Provide education on sexual and reproductive health, contraception and family planning
• Administration and removal of contraceptives within scope of practice

Abortion Care includes 1 practice session with:

• Preparation including the scenario
• Practice section
• Post-reflection and debrief

SKILLS AND METHODOLOGIES COVERED

• Midwifery care during medical abortion

EXAMPLES OF COMPETENCIES COVERED

• Provide comprehensive abortion care within local laws
• Adhere to national, state and local laws, regulatory requirements, and codes of conduct for midwifery practice
• Provide education on sexual and reproductive health, contraception and family planning
• Prescribe, dispense and administer medicines or products
• Uphold fundamental human rights of individuals when providing midwifery care
• Support women to make choices and decisions about care
• Demonstrate respectful and effective interpersonal communication with women and families, health care professionals, teams, and community groups

General Midwifery Care includes 7 practice sessions where each session includes:

• Preparation including the scenario
• Practice section
• Post-reflection and debrief

SKILLS AND METHODOLOGIES COVERED

• Practice respectful midwifery language
• Practice cervical screening
• Urine analysis pregnancy test
• Identifying signs of possible sexual trauma in women and adolescents
• Catheterization of a woman in labour
• Perform a vaginal examination during labour
• NEW - Counsel and advise on Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI)

EXAMPLES OF COMPETENCIES COVERED

• Assume responsibility for own decisions and actions as an autonomous practitioner within the midwifery scope of practice
• Adapt to and adopt new and emerging technologies that have been proven to enhance midwifery practice and care
• Use research to inform practice
• Uphold fundamental human rights of individuals when providing midwifery care
• Care for girls and women who experience physical and sexual violence and abuse

Newborn Care includes 5 practice sessions where each session includes:

• Preparation including the scenario
• Practice section
• Post-reflection and debrief

SKILLS AND METHODOLOGIES COVERED

• Conduct initial assessment of the newborn
• Perform newborn resuscitation
• Administer BCG injection to newborn
• Support initiation of breastfeeding
• Provide kangaroo care for the premature newborn

EXAMPLES OF COMPETENCIES COVERED

• Provide care of the newborn immediately after birth
• Provide care to healthy newborn infant
• Detect, treat, and stabilise postnatal complications in women and refer as necessary
• Promote and support breastfeeding
• Detect, stabilise, and manage health problems in newborn infant and refer if necessary
• Demonstrate respectful and effective interpersonal communication with women and families, health care professionals, teams, and community groups
• Uphold fundamental human rights of individuals when providing midwifery care