The American College of Nurse Midwives Board of Directors and the ACNM Division of Global Engagement are pleased to announce the establishment of the ACNM Global Health Competencies and Skills for Midwives.
The ACNM Global Health Competencies and Skills for Midwives were developed after requests from ACNM certified nurse midwives (CNMs) and certified midwives (CMs) with and without global health experience, midwifery students with and without global health experience, the ACNM Board of Directors, midwifery education program directors, and educators to help them guide students by providing structure for evaluating available global education and experiential opportunities.
The purpose of the document is to identify a breadth of global expertise that may be required on projects to different degrees, depending on the nature of the global work. The document acknowledges these competencies and skills might be required at different points in a global career and should develop as learning advances with increasing exposure. Nine competencies were identified and the specific skills for one is articulated.
The document was developed for ACNM CNMs and CMs interested in expanding into global health, student midwives interested in global health, and midwifery education program directors and educators who can help direct students interested in global health.
The Global Health Competencies and Skills doesn’t provide a comprehensive list, but rather should be seen as guidelines for incremental learning above and beyond the ACNM Basic Midwifery Core Competencies and midwifery practice according to the ACNM Code of Ethics. Finally, the document will guide ACNM CNM and CM members’ education in global work, which offers unique opportunities to increase self-awareness, culturally humility, and ability to work with a diverse range of stakeholders.
Summary of the ACNM Global Health Competencies and Skills for Midwives
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Global Understanding Competency
Understands the past, present, and anticipated future of maternal, newborn and reproductive global health including: global leadership, global health organizations, impact of events and environmental changes on global health, and evidence-based global health improvement efforts.
Clinical Practice Competency
Demonstrates safe and appropriate clinical practice based on knowledge of maternal, perinatal, and under 5 health and illnesses in resource-constrained settings.
Health Equity and Justice Competency
Applies the principles of health equity and justice in the provision of maternal, newborn and reproductive global health.
Professionalism / Ethics Competency
Integrates self-awareness, respect of and sensitivity towards others, flexibility, and ability to address ethical / professional issues in maternal, newborn and reproductive global health experiences.
Communication Competency
Demonstrates effective, appropriate, and adaptive communication skills in a variety of global health settings.
Leadership, Organization, and Program Management Competency
Applies leadership and organization skills to develop programs that improve maternal, newborn and reproductive global health.
Teaching / Learning Competency
Demonstrate expertise in teaching, learning, and evaluation in low resources settings.
Research /Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) Competency
Utilizes internationally accepted research and quality improvement methodologic approaches and ethical knowledge to improve maternal, newborn and reproductive global health.
Health System Strengthening Competency
Co-develops solutions to health systems challenges using local health systems knowledge and leadership.
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