02-502 C.M.R. ch. 6, § A-3 - Scope of practice

1. Certified professional midwife. The certified professional midwife shall provide only those health care services for which the certified professional midwife is educationally and clinically prepared, and for which competency has been maintained. The certified professional midwife is authorized to function to the full extent of the certified professional midwife's education, training, and competency within the population focus and scope of practice defined by the national certifying body.

2. Certified professional midwives primarily practice in homes, birth centers, clinics, and offices, and may also practice in hospitals, and emergency care settings. Certified professional midwives may consult, refer, or transfer to licensed allopathic or osteopathic physicians, or other licensed health professionals as necessary for the client's health or safety in accordance with professional judgment.

3. The health care services for which the certified professional midwife is independently responsible and accountable include:

A. Reproductive health care across the lifespan, including family planning and evaluation of well-being, including relevant health history;

B. Health care of the newborn up to age 8 weeks;

C. Maternity care, including preconception care, care during pregnancy, labor and childbirth, and the postpartum period until 12 weeks;

D. Ordering and interpreting medical laboratory tests, specimen collection, performing CLIA-waived testing for the benefit of the individual midwifery client, ordering and interpreting ultrasound scan results, and obtaining equipment and supplies for the safe practice of midwifery; and E. Performing or ordering any newborn testing required or recommended by the Maine Center for Disease Control, including, but not limited to: Newborn Blood Spot Screening (NBS), Critical Congenital Heart Defect (CCHD) and Hearing Screening.

4. The certified professional midwife is authorized to activate emergency medical services at any time to protect the health and safety of the client, fetus or newborn, including when the client declines transfer of care.

5. The certified professional midwife shall perform and document periodic assessment to identify the following conditions, and provide care in accordance with section 5:

A. Multifetal gestation;

B. Non-vertex presentation;

C. Prior cesarean procedure; and D. Other conditions that present a moderate or high risk of harm to parent or child.

6. When providing primary maternity care, the certified professional midwife licensed under this chapter shall:

A. Obtain informed consent to care that is in compliance with language approved by the board pursuant to 32 M.R.S. §12541.

B. Collect data as required by statute and prescribed by the board and report to the board in a format approved by the board for that purpose. 32 MRSA §12539. When the intended and actual place of birth is a hospital setting, this provision does not apply.

Notes

02-502 C.M.R. ch. 6, § A-3