Exploring the Differences Between Nurses & Midwives in Canada (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between a nurse and a midwife in Canada? ›

Nurses typically complete their nursing education in the form of a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree, while midwives complete a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree, specifically in midwifery. Additionally, certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) are licensed as both nurses and midwives.

The difference between a registered nurse and a Certified Nurse-Midwife is that a registered nurse supports the care of a patient by carrying out orders from a provider (a physician or a Certified Nurse-Midwife, for example), while the Certified Nurse-Midwife has an increased scope of practice that allows them to ...

What Is the Difference Between an L&D Nurse and a Certified Nurse Midwife? L&D nurses and nurse midwives are RNs, but a nurse midwife has more advanced training and certification. Nurse midwives may also work with patients throughout pregnancy—not just labor and delivery.

A midwife is a primary care provider who is responsible for all the care necessary for a healthy expectant person and the baby throughout pregnancy, birth and for six weeks afterward.

In Canada, nursing is a profession that includes 3 regulated nursing groups: Registered Nurse (RN), Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)*, or Registered Psychiatric Nurse (RPN).

The Ontario model of midwifery is based on three principles: Continuity of Care - Midwifery care is available to clients throughout their pregnancy, labour, birth, and the first six weeks after birth. Midwives spend time developing relationships with clients and are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Arguably, midwifery courses are harder to get into than nursing courses. However, midwives and nurses both face exceptional challenges which make their day to day lives difficult, and it's hard to say which career is harder. Both face exhaustion, budget, resource and staffing cuts, abuse, hospital politics, & more.

Providing prenatal and postpartum care. Caring for women during childbirth including monitoring the mother and fetus during labor, assessing labor progress, managing complications, assisting with pain management, performing episiotomies if needed, and delivering the newborn and placenta.

People may want a midwife for a more relaxed birthing experience. Midwives didn't attend medical school and can't provide all of the same services as an Ob/Gyn. They can't treat high-risk pregnancies or complications during delivery.

High-risk vs. low-risk pregnancies – OB-GYNs can manage high-risk or complicated pregnancies such as women who are expecting twins or have preexisting medical conditions. Midwives, on the other hand, can manage low-risk pregnancies and births, but can coordinate care with other specialists like OB-GYNs if necessary.

How does a nurse practitioner's role differ from that of a certified nurse midwife with regard to maternity care? ›

Women's health nurse practitioners can act as primary care providers, unlike certified nurse-midwives, and provide care for women throughout their lifespan, not just during pregnancy. Provide care before pregnancy and during pregnancy, childbirth, and recovery from childbirth.

While a nurse midwife can give some labor support, they are responsible for monitoring the health of the person in labor and the baby. They also determine all medical decisions. Since a doula is not a medical professional, they can remain completely focused on you and your needs.

The Canadian Midwifery Regulators Council (CMRC) is a network of provincial and territorial regulatory authorities. Collectively, the CMRC regulates the profession of midwifery, setting and maintaining high standards of practice, and ensuring regulatory harmony across the country.

Practising to the full legislative scope, also known as full scope midwifery, means providing all aspects of midwifery care scope including labour, birth, postpartum and newborn care, including all of the authorized acts. The ability to work to the full midwifery scope is influenced by intrinsic and extrinsic factors.

Programs in Canada

The midwifery education program is a baccalaureate level program, usually 3-4 years. There are currently six midwifery education programs available in Canada. Education programs are “direct entry”, which means that there is no nursing or other credential required for entry.

Scope of Practice: Midwifery

Midwifery is a specialized branch of nursing that focuses on providing care to women during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum.

The four-year program which spans nine terms includes courses from basic sciences, social sciences, health sciences and electives, in addition to clinical courses. A variety of course formats include classroom, distance learning through web conferencing and print-based self-study courses.

The average midwife salary in Canada is $95,172 per year or $48.81 per hour.