Ask a Mentor: Midwifery
The volunteer interviewed below has been a Mentoring Connections mentor since March 2009, and is a Registered Midwife in BC. She has a dual role as a lecturer and midwife in BC, and has 18 years of previous teaching experience with a post-secondary midwifery program in the UK.
(Q) In your experience, what are some of the skills and knowledge gaps of foreign-trained nurses (FTNs) and midwives, looking to practice in BC?
(A) As an FTN, you must be prepared to embrace the BC system, and to forgo some of what you are familiar with. One of the primary challenges is a lack of fluency in spoken English. This can cause a lot of miscommunication between professionals, clients and FTNs. While undergoing accreditation or training, try and get as much work experience as possible that allows you to practice and demonstrate your people and communication skills.
(Q) We are aware of the published licensing requirements of the CRNBC, CLPNBC and CMBC for nurses and midwives. What tips would you give to newly-arrived immigrants to help them prepare for assessment of their education and experience?
(A) Arrange for some face-to-face opportunities to have Q&A sessions with professional bodies. This will help to clarify some of the requirements you read online.
(Q) What courses or certifications would be helpful for newly-arrived midwives to improve their marketability in BC or Canada?
(A) Consider taking a doulas course to learn the different roles that professionals in maternity care play, and to observe a midwife’s specific role in BC. The model of midwifery in BC is unique in the world, as autonomy, evidence-based practice, informed decision making and continuity of care are essential elements. A course like this would also give you the opportunity to sample the expectations of the BC women you’ll be caring for. I also recommend going to the CMBC website to study the regulatory and policy statements.
(Q) What hiring trends are you aware of in the midwifery industry in BC?
(A) There is a need for midwives, particularly in the rural areas of BC. Go to the CMBC website and look at the list of currently practising midwives. This will give you a sense of practice locations and the possible need for midwives.
(Q) How do employment opportunities vary between public and private clinics?
(A) All midwives in BC are self-employed and are paid directly by the BC Ministry of Health.
(Q) Professional credentials are beginning to be recognized inter-provincially. What is the current situation for midwives in BC?
(A) It’s already in existence. Midwives trained in other provinces have to gain working privileges at a local hospital which provides maternity care. This is the same process as General Practitioners being admitted as part of the medical staff in a hospital. Gaining working privleges enables a midwife to birth women at a hospital, besides being able to birth women at home.*
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For more information on midwifery practice in BC, visit the CMBC website and read Exploring Midwifery as a Career.
