The School of Nursing and Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin has a track record in delivering undergraduate and postgraduate midwifery education in Ireland. We have earned a reputation as a leader and innovator in midwifery education and research in maternity care nationally and internationally. We are involved in the support and conduct of research within the areas of midwifery, maternity care and women's health with an emphasis on evaluating clinical and educational interventions, exploring women's experiences of care, developing models of decision making for women and midwives whilst pursuing a research agenda that remains socially relevant. We endeavour to ensure that all research is collaborative and inclusive, involving women, their families and our practice-based colleagues.

Graduates from this 4-year Bachelor in Science in Midwifery Honours Degree programme practice as midwives in Ireland and internationally within and outside Europe.

A degree from the Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin, is recognised across the world as a quality qualification that is highly regarded by many potential employees.

The term 'midwife' means 'with woman'. As a midwife, you will be helping parents and families at one of the most crucial times of their lives, supporting the woman during pregnancy, childbirth and the post-natal period. Midwives play a vital role in promoting and maintaining health facilitating normal childbirth and helping women make informed choices about their care. The midwife uses midwifery skills to provide care that is individual to each woman and recognises the woman's ownership of her birth experience. The midwife is the key professional providing continuity of care and promoting choice and control to women in pregnancy and birth, and to women and their babies following birth. The core concepts of the midwifery profession are of:

• Normality - childbirth is viewed as a normal event in the life cycle, a normal healthy event
• Woman-centred - the focus of midwifery practice is pregnant women and their families and delivering care woman-centred maternity services.
• Respect: midwifery care is delivered in a manner that respects the uniqueness and dignity of each person regardless of culture or religion.
• Partnership - partnership between the woman and the midwife is fundamental to midwifery practice. It is based on mutual trust, support and collaboration, which facilitates informed choice and decision-making and the empowerment of both the woman and the midwife.
• Client first - decisions about an individual midwife's scope of practice should always be made with the woman's and her family's best interests foremost and in the interest of promoting and maintaining best quality maternity services for women and their families.
• Evidence based - midwifery practice is based on the best available evidence.
• Advocacy - midwifery practice involves advocacy for the individual woman and her family.

How do I become a Midwife?

There are two routes to becoming a midwife in the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin:

• a four year (4-year) Bachelor in Science in Midwifery Honours Degree programme and
• an eighteen month (18 month) midwife registration education Post-RGN programme (Higher Diploma in Midwifery)

The programmes are delivered in partnership with two associated maternity care providers; the Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital and The Rotunda Hospital. Successful completion of the programmes leads to:

• registration in the Midwives Division of the Nurses Register maintained by An Bord Altranais agus Cnáimhseachais na hÉireann (Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI))

and

• the award of Bachelor in Science in Midwifery Degree or Higher Diploma in Midwifery from Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin.

The Philosophy of Midwifery Education and Practice, School of Nursing and Midwifery Trinity College

Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin has a clear philosophy concerning women, their babies and their families; the nature of midwifery care; the profession of midwifery; the provision of midwifery education; and the conduct of research in maternity care and women's health. We are dedicated to excellence in practice, education and research.

Each woman journeying through pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period draws from her individual life experiences. Social and cultural contexts influence the woman's unique perceptions of, and expectations in relation to having a baby and becoming a mother. Having a baby is a life-changing experience for the woman and her family and care should be holistic, taking account of the social nature of this significant event. Midwives are ideally positioned to empower women to have more control in the decision making process regarding their health and lifestyle choices. Women and their families need and deserve sensitive care from all health care professionals. This involves developing a reciprocal and equitable relationship in order to foster a partnership based on mutual trust and respect.

The profession of midwifery is concerned with protecting and promoting the normality of childbirth for women. However, all women, including women with complex needs, are entitled to and can benefit from midwifery care. We commit to supporting midwives in offering and providing responsive care, where the development of an equitable partnership with the woman and her family is central. This is inclusive of the woman or her family's ethnic, cultural, religious, socioeconomic background or sexual orientation. We uphold the autonomous role of the midwifery profession and recognise that midwifery care is most effectively and efficiently provided through collaboration with women and our multidisciplinary colleagues in the health care team.

Midwifery education focuses on developing all aspects of the curriculum to achieve the goal of empowering women and their families through their relationship with midwives. Consequently, midwifery education programmes aim to inspire and support midwives to fulfill the scope of midwifery practice.

In order to realise this philosophy, strong links and genuine partnership exist among all stakeholders. The collaboration, co-operation and partnership that exist among the institutions are reflected in the design of a dynamic programme that has a shared vision.

The midwifery programmes are delivered with associated maternity care providers:

Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital 

Rotunda University Hospital 

Midwives work in public and private health service provider settings and in the community. Following completion of the 4-year Bachelor in Science in Midwifery Honours Degree programme and registration as a midwife with An Bord Altranais agus Cnáimhseachais na hÉireann (Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland), many graduates choose to spend their first year gaining experience in the practice setting by working within either the public or private health service setting. During their undergraduate degree, student midwives are attached to a specific health service provider i.e. the Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital or Rotunda Hospital and many decide to remain on as staff midwives in these hospitals on completion of the midwife registration education programme where they develop insight into the area of midwifery that appeals to them most. The midwife may then choose to pursue a career pathway in midwifery practice, education or research.

Midwives interested in pursing further education and their career may be interested in pursuing a Postgraduate Diploma (P.Grad. Dip) in Midwifery Practice and Leadership or a Masters (Msc) in Midwifery Practice and Leadership.

See Postgraduate Diploma (P.Grad. Dip) in Midwifery Practice and Leadership or a Masters (Msc) in Midwifery Practice and Leadership for more details