Why do Midwives need CPD?
In the UK, midwives are healthcare professionals who provide care and support to women during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postnatal period. They ensure safe and healthy deliveries for both the mother and the baby, and offer guidance on breastfeeding and newborn care. This is an important role which also provides emotional and psychological support to women during a potentially stressful and vulnerable time in their lives. According to Statistica, there were 57,600 midwives employed in the UK in 2021, and in the same year over 550,000 babies were delivered. A midwife is likely to have been involved in the delivery of the majority of newborn babies that enter the world, so they have a huge impact in society.
CPD courses most suited to Midwives
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Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults (SOVA) Level 3
£49 + VAT View course -
Workplace First Aid
£20 + VAT View course -
End of life care
£20 + VAT View course -
LGBTQ+ Awareness
£20 + VAT View course -
PPE in Healthcare
£20 + VAT View course -
Moving and Handling in Care
£20 + VAT View course -
Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults (SOVA) Level 2
£20 + VAT View course -
Infection Control
£20 + VAT View course -
Needles and Sharps
£20 + VAT View course -
Equality and Diversity
£15 + VAT View course -
Food Safety and Hygiene in Care
£20 + VAT View course -
Fire Safety in Care Homes
£20 + VAT View course -
Care Certificate
£20 + VAT View course -
Mental Health Act
£20 + VAT View course -
Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS)
£20 + VAT View course
Midwives us
I really enjoyed this course. There was a lot of reading to get through. I feel I gained a lot of knowledge. I would definitely recommend this course.
Lisa Warren
Safeguarding Children Level 2
The course had the vital information that one needs to administer medicine, the units covered a wide range of information, there is support from a tutor available online for general information e.g where to find stuff within the course website, the course gives more than one chance to go through the quiz, one can do it over again. Generally, it’s very good, I highly recommend it.
Nereah Adala
Administering Medication
I found this a really well put together course. Each section was broken up into bite sized pieces which made it easy to dip in and dip out of. The content was really relevant to the work that I do and it will help provide a good foundation for me moving forwards. Thank you!
Stephan Tait
Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults Level 2
What CPD courses do Midwives need?
CPD is of particular importance for midwives because it is a compulsory requirement for ongoing work in the field. If a midwife does not meet the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) requirements for CPD, they can be deregistered which means that they will not be able to work as a midwife until they gain their registration back (which requires additional training and a higher level of CPD to prove that they are up to date in the industry).
At CPD Online College we have a wide range of courses that can count towards CPD for a midwife. Some of these include:
- Administering Medication – this course gives vital knowledge on how to correctly store, administer and dispose of medication in line with government legislation and guidelines. This is essential for midwives who are looking after women in hospital as medication will form part of their role.
- Care Certificate – this forms part of vital training and development for staff in the health and social care sector. The care certificate was introduced in 2015 in response to findings of the Cavendish Review (which found training and development in the health and social care sector inadequate). By completing the Care Certificate training, you can meet CQC and other regulator expectations that demonstrate your training.
- Child Development – this course gives an insight into child development from conception through to 12 years old. Midwives work to support mothers from conception so you will explore the factors that contribute towards healthy development for the baby pre-birth and post-birth.
- Domestic Violence – this course covers the existing legislation surrounding domestic violence to protect individuals. It includes the power control wheel, common themes and experiences of victims, risk factors, and how support can be provided.
- Foetal Alcohol Syndrome Awareness – this course will teach you what foetal alcohol syndrome is, its signs and symptoms, and identifies the needs of the child with the condition. It also covers factors that contribute to a healthy pregnancy and what complications can occur during pregnancy.
- Infection Control – this course is essential for anyone working in healthcare to provide knowledge of what an infection is and how to stop it from spreading. It details how to prevent exposure to microorganisms, effective cleaning procedures, and what to do in the event of infection control measures failing.
- Postnatal Depression – this course is essential for midwives as they work with new mothers. It provides knowledge on what postnatal depression is, the types of support available, and the signs and symptoms for women who experience it. Postnatal depression impacts 1 in 10 women, so all midwives are likely to encounter new mothers experiencing the condition.
A guide to CPD for Midwives
To become a midwife in the UK, you need to complete a three-year Bachelor’s degree in midwifery, which is regulated by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). You are unable to become a midwife without registration with the NMC in the UK.
After graduating, midwives must register with the NMC and continue with ongoing professional development to maintain their registration (so learning in the sector never stops). The regulatory framework for midwifery practice is provided by the NMC’s Code of Professional Standards and Guidance, which outlines the ethical and professional responsibilities of midwives. Additionally, midwives must adhere to various national and local policies, guidelines and protocols related to maternal and newborn care.
Continuing professional development (CPD) can help midwives in the UK by providing them with the opportunity to enhance their knowledge, improve their skills and keep up to date with the latest developments in their field. This can help midwives provide better care for their patients, increase job satisfaction, and advance their careers.
The NMC requires midwives to maintain their registration and meet certain standards for continuing professional development, practice and health. This includes completing annual practice hours, reflective practice, and staying up to date with the latest health developments and education to improve their knowledge and skills.
CPD certificates
The courses listed above, as well as all of the courses listed on our website, result in a CPD certificate being issued to you. As you near the end of your course there will be an end of course quiz which will check your knowledge and understanding of the course content. Once you pass this quiz you will have immediate access to your CPD certificate. This is an important document that you should keep safe to form part of your CPD portfolio. You can make a hard copy CPD portfolio, or an electronic copy, that includes your CPD certificates and other CPD training activities.
Keeping CPD evidence
As well as CPD certificates, there are many other CPD training activities that can count towards your CPD evidence. It is important to keep evidence of any CPD training that you complete to show as proof to your employer and industry regulator (such as the NMC).
Some examples of CPD training that could form part of your portfolio and the associated evidence include:
- Reading – you could note down the book or article title.
- Webinars – recording the name, date and provider of the webinar. You could also ask for a record of the attendance sheet for proof of attendance.
- Mentors – your mentor could sign your notes from your session.
- E-Learning – CPD certificates or evidence of e-learning completion.
- Workshops – a copy of the attendance register or a certificate of attendance.
- Job shadowing – you could write a short summary of the job you shadowed and ask your colleague to sign it.
- CPD hours – you can keep note of the hours spent on CPD training (which will be explained in more detail below).
Logging CPD hours
The hours that you spend on your CPD training all count towards your CPD portfolio (which includes all of the evidence of the CPD that you have completed). Many industries (including midwifery) have a target number of hours that those working in the industry must spend on CPD training to meet the CPD requirements for ongoing practice. To help you meet this, you can record the hours that you spend on each CPD activity in your CPD portfolio. That way it is easy to track and monitor how many hours you have completed.
Renewing CPD certificates
CPD courses are updated in line with industry updates and legislative changes to ensure that the course materials remain up to date for our students. This means that every two years you must renew your CPD courses to ensure that your knowledge remains up to date and you are using accurate knowledge in your practice. To keep abreast of this, you can simply retake our courses every two years as a refresher. Alternatively, you can see if there is a higher level in your course subject that you can complete to further progress in your field.
