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.​