NICOLE REECE JAMES
The TT Association of Midwives (TTAM) was registered as a non-profit company in 1995. Its membership consists of 113 midwives and pupil midwives (in training).
A midwife is a person who has completed a midwifery education programme based on the ICM Essential Competencies for Midwifery Practice and the framework of the ICM Global Standards for Midwifery Education.
In TT, midwives have been trained to the same standards. Our midwives have acquired the requisite qualifications and are registered and legally licenced to practise by the Nursing Council of TT.
They demonstrate competency in the scope of practice of the midwife and are the only people entitled to use the title "midwife."
The association’s mission is to advance and support the autonomous practice of midwives through education, advocacy, research and regulation for quality care of the childbearing family.
We embrace the values of professionalism, autonomy, accountability, integrity, respect and service.
TTAM is a member of the Caribbean Regional Midwives Association (CRMA) as well as the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM – the organisation that holds voting rights and decision-making interests as it pertains to our profession).
As part of the function of TTAM, we consider it necessary and have been offering critical training in the areas of childbirth education and breastfeeding support to the public.
We also provide continuous professional development opportunities to our members. This is imperative if midwives are to remain relevant and continuously upgraded in the field of midwifery.
[caption id="attachment_1134356" align="alignnone" width="378"] Nicole Reece James, president of TTAM -[/caption]
There is a difference between midwifery and nursing. Midwifery is a separate profession and in TT midwives are granted a licence by the State to practise autonomously.
This allows midwives to practise in and outside hospital settings and work at private and public clinics, hospitals and within the home environment.
Midwives are trained to meet the sexual, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health needs of the childbearing family.
They provide care during pregnancy (antenatal), labour and delivery (intranatal) and after delivery (postnatal), as well as care for the newborn.
They are considered the experts at normal vaginal delivery and are adequately trained to identify complications with the mother or newborn, provide emergency care and refer as needed.
From the perspective of the public hospital setting, the majority (99.6 per cent) of vaginal deliveries are attended to by midwives.
All mothers and infants are monitored and cared for by midwives during hospitalisation, even when they become obstetric deliveries.
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Out of the hospital, home births are conducted by experienced midwives for normal pregnancies.
Home births are also a clinical requirement for pupil midwives. Hence this service is regulated by the trai
