Midwifery Qualification in Selected Countries: A Rapid Review
Background: While the global maternal mortality ratio (MMR) shows a decreasing trend, there is room for improvement. Midwifery education has been under scrutiny to ensure that graduates acquire knowledge and skills relevant to the local context. Objective: To review the basic professional midwifery...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-10-01
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| Series: | Nursing Reports |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2039-4403/11/4/80 |
| _version_ | 1797501893762613248 |
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| author | Shakirah Md. Sharif Wuan Shuen Yap Weng Hong Fun Ee Ling Yoon Nur Fadzilah Abd Razak Sondi Sararaks Shaun Wen Huey Lee |
| author_facet | Shakirah Md. Sharif Wuan Shuen Yap Weng Hong Fun Ee Ling Yoon Nur Fadzilah Abd Razak Sondi Sararaks Shaun Wen Huey Lee |
| author_sort | Shakirah Md. Sharif |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: While the global maternal mortality ratio (MMR) shows a decreasing trend, there is room for improvement. Midwifery education has been under scrutiny to ensure that graduates acquire knowledge and skills relevant to the local context. Objective: To review the basic professional midwifery qualification and pre-practice requirements in countries with lower MMR compared with Malaysia. Methods: A rapid review of country-specific Ministry of Health and Midwifery Association websites and Advanced Google using standardised key words. English-language documents reporting the qualifications of midwives or other requirements to practise midwifery from countries with a lower MMR than Malaysia were included. Results: Sixty-three documents from 35 countries were included. The minimum qualification required to become a midwife was a bachelor’s degree. Most countries require registration or licensing to practise, and 35.5% have implemented preregistration national midwifery examinations. In addition, 13 countries require midwives to have nursing backgrounds. Conclusion: In countries achieving better maternal outcomes than Malaysia, midwifes often have a degree or higher qualification. As such, there is a need to reinvestigate and revise the midwifery qualification requirements in Malaysia. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:25:10Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-33dda44ca67844a5b9b1f5001f9e5d80 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2039-439X 2039-4403 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:25:10Z |
| publishDate | 2021-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nursing Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-33dda44ca67844a5b9b1f5001f9e5d802023-11-23T09:54:03ZengMDPI AGNursing Reports2039-439X2039-44032021-10-0111485988010.3390/nursrep11040080Midwifery Qualification in Selected Countries: A Rapid ReviewShakirah Md. Sharif0Wuan Shuen Yap1Weng Hong Fun2Ee Ling Yoon3Nur Fadzilah Abd Razak4Sondi Sararaks5Shaun Wen Huey Lee6Institute for Health Systems Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam 40170, MalaysiaInstitute for Health Systems Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam 40170, MalaysiaInstitute for Health Systems Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam 40170, MalaysiaInstitute for Health Systems Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam 40170, MalaysiaInstitute for Health Systems Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam 40170, MalaysiaInstitute for Health Systems Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam 40170, MalaysiaSchool of Pharmacy, Monash University, Bandar Sunway 47500, MalaysiaBackground: While the global maternal mortality ratio (MMR) shows a decreasing trend, there is room for improvement. Midwifery education has been under scrutiny to ensure that graduates acquire knowledge and skills relevant to the local context. Objective: To review the basic professional midwifery qualification and pre-practice requirements in countries with lower MMR compared with Malaysia. Methods: A rapid review of country-specific Ministry of Health and Midwifery Association websites and Advanced Google using standardised key words. English-language documents reporting the qualifications of midwives or other requirements to practise midwifery from countries with a lower MMR than Malaysia were included. Results: Sixty-three documents from 35 countries were included. The minimum qualification required to become a midwife was a bachelor’s degree. Most countries require registration or licensing to practise, and 35.5% have implemented preregistration national midwifery examinations. In addition, 13 countries require midwives to have nursing backgrounds. Conclusion: In countries achieving better maternal outcomes than Malaysia, midwifes often have a degree or higher qualification. As such, there is a need to reinvestigate and revise the midwifery qualification requirements in Malaysia.https://www.mdpi.com/2039-4403/11/4/80midwifery qualificationmidwifery practicerapid review |
| spellingShingle | Shakirah Md. Sharif Wuan Shuen Yap Weng Hong Fun Ee Ling Yoon Nur Fadzilah Abd Razak Sondi Sararaks Shaun Wen Huey Lee Midwifery Qualification in Selected Countries: A Rapid Review Nursing Reports midwifery qualification midwifery practice rapid review |
| title | Midwifery Qualification in Selected Countries: A Rapid Review |
| title_full | Midwifery Qualification in Selected Countries: A Rapid Review |
| title_fullStr | Midwifery Qualification in Selected Countries: A Rapid Review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Midwifery Qualification in Selected Countries: A Rapid Review |
| title_short | Midwifery Qualification in Selected Countries: A Rapid Review |
| title_sort | midwifery qualification in selected countries a rapid review |
| topic | midwifery qualification midwifery practice rapid review |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2039-4403/11/4/80 |
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