Continuing competencies

Applicants for registration and practising midwives must successfully complete and maintain certification in the following competency areas as outlined in the Policy on Continuing Competencies.

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation

Minimum requirements

Completion of a course that complies with the guidelines of the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada. The course must cover the following core areas for CPR and emergency cardiac care:

• Adult cardiopulmonary resuscitation
• Pediatric cardiopulmonary resuscitation
• Two-rescuer scenarios
• Use of bag valve mask
• Management of foreign-body airway obstruction
• Use of Automated External Defibrillator (AED)

Approved courses

• Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada – Basic Life Support (BLS)
• Canadian Red Cross – Basic Life Support (BLS)
• American Heart Association – Basic Life Support (BLS)
  
• St. John Ambulance – CPR BLS & AED
• Lifesaving Society – Basic Life Support (BLS) Responder CPR/Health Care Provider (HCP) with AED
• St. Mark James Training – CPR Health Care Provider (HCP)

Not sure you've got the right course? Look for Basic Life Support (BLS) or Health Care Professional (HCP) in the course listing.

(Re)certification requirements

• Provider: Annual certification. In cases where the approved course done not require or recommend annual certification, it is considered valid for a maximum of two years.
• Instructor: Proof of current CPR instructor status.
• Format: Current registrants can complete approved courses online; first-time applicants and former registrants that are reinstating their registration after more than 60 days must complete the course in-person.

Emergency skills

Minimum requirements

Successful completion of a course that covers emergency management in the following areas:

• Postpartum haemorrhage
• Shoulder dystocia
• Cord prolapse
• Undiagnosed breach
• Undiagnosed twins
• Fetal well-being

Approved courses

• Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada – Advances in Labour and Risk Management (ALARM)
• Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada – Managing Obstetrical Risk Efficiently (MOREOB)
• Association of Ontario Midwives – Emergency Skills Workshop (ESW)
• Midwives Association of Manitoba – Emergency Skills for Midwives (ESM)
• Midwives Association of BC and University of British Columbia Continuing Professional Development – Midwives Emergency Skills Program (MESP)
• Alberta Association of Midwives – Emergency Skills Workshop (ESW)
• Any BCCNM recognized midwifery education program – Emergency Skills Course

(Re)certification requirements

• Provider: Every two years.
• Instructor: Proof of current ES instructor status.
• Format: Current registrants can complete approved courses online; first-time applicants and former registrants that are reinstating their registration after more than 60 days must complete the course in-person.

Fetal Health Surveillance

Minimum requirements

Participation in a Canadian fetal health surveillance course, module or workshop that includes:

• A review of the fundamentals of antenatal and intrapartum fetal health surveillance
• Completion of the National Fetal Health Surveillance Online Exam (minimum passing grade 80%).

Approved courses

• University of British Columbia Continuing Professional Development – Fundamentals of Fetal Health Surveillance Online Manual and Exam.
• Hospital perinatal program or BCCNM approved midwifery education program – Fundamentals of Fetal Health Surveillance course)
• Hospital perinatal program or BCCNM approved midwifery education program – Fetal Health Surveillance Refresher/Renewal

(Re)certification requirements

• Provider: Every two years.
• Instructor: Proof of current FHS instructor status.
• Format: Current registrants can complete approved courses online; first-time applicants and former registrants that are reinstating their registration after more than 60 days must complete the course in-person.

Neonatal Resuscitation

Minimum requirements

Completion of a course that meets or exceeds the Canadian Paediatric Society’s (CPS) National Guidelines and NRP levels 1-11, with skills required for a primary care provider and as applicable within the midwifery scope of practice.

Approved courses

Any Canadian NRP course taught by a CPS-certified NRP instructor.

(Re)certification requirements

• Provider: Annual certification
• Instructor: Proof of current NRP instructor status.
• Format: Current registrants can complete approved courses online; first-time applicants and former registrants that are reinstating their registration after more than 60 days must complete the course in-person.

Proof of certification requirements

First-time applicant or reinstatement

• Applicants need to submit a copy of their continuing competency certificates to registermidwives@bccnm.ca​.
• Where the course requires an in-person component, the certificate for this portion must be submitted to confirm validity (for example, if completing MESP you must submit the MABC issued certificate).
• BCCNM will confirm that certificates are valid and not expired prior to granting registration.

​Registration renewal (practising registrants)

• During registration renewal, practising registrants will attest to having valid certificates that are not expired as of April 1 of that year.
• Copies of certificates do not need to be submitted. Please keep proof of certification for your records as your continuing competencies may be audited.
• This also applies to applicants who are reinstating their registration within 60 days.​
  ​
  ​