RN assist at homebirths?

RNChrista · Apr 17, 2006

I forgot to add that I know some RNs who have given up their licenses so as not to have to be held to it in all their other situations such as in being an acupuncturist. It made their lives easier and their guidelines more clear.
So it can be really confusing!

So, if someone decides to not renew their nursing license...what happens if they want to practice again? they have to go to school again? Take the boards again?

RNChrista · Apr 17, 2006

I agree with folks about not doing this...unless you are 100% sure the BON has a written policy about this and/or an experienced attorney has some input.
Good luck! You should volunteer at Holy Family Birth Center something. You can get some experience, and you'd be working as an RN at least in an out of hospital setting.

I'd love to work at Holy Family, but I cant move.

Anyway, I contacted the BON and talked to 2 different people. They were absolutley clueless. First, they insisted that you had to be a nurse to be a midwife. After I explained the different types of midwives, they told me there were no midwives that were not CNMs in my state (not true, there are plenty) and then they asked why anyone would not want to be a nurse before becoming a midwife.

They finally said it probably wouldn't be a good idea because I'd be practicing nursing independently and would be held to a higher standard.

I asked it I could provide doula services at home before going to a hospital. After I explained what a doula was, she said "why would anyone want to pay for that when just any person could do that" I explained the benefits of doulas and she told me that there were no nurses in MI that provide doula service. Of course I informed her that plenty do.

It was really a frusterating conversation because they had no idea what I was talking about.

subee, MSN, CRNA · Apr 17, 2006

Hi. I'm just wondering if anyone knows if there would be legal problems with this.
I would love to be a birth assistant or apprentice/student midwife. We have no CNMs around here doing homebirths so it would be with a direct entry midwife. She's done many births and I am confident in her skills.
Non nurse midwives are considered alegal in my state...they're not illegal but they're also not regulated by the state. There is no licensure available for them (although they may choose to become a certified professional midwife)
My concern is my RN license. Since I technically would be the only licensed person at the birth would she be considered to be working under my license? Would I be held accountable for anything she does? And could I be accused of practicing medicine without a license as a assistant or student? What constitutes that anyway? If Im just providing labor support and FHTs I could not be accused of practicing medicine without a license, right? How about catching babies?
Thanks for any help!

As a person who had a disasterous outcome in a tertiary medical center, I consider home births a form of child abuse and entirely unacceptable for this century. An "elderly" primip lost a baby in my county at home when the patient refused to get into an ambulance. Not much protection for the midwife who allowed a nutty patient to put the midwife in an awful position.

Why would you put yourself at such risk?

RNChrista · Apr 17, 2006

As a person who had a disasterous outcome in a tertiary medical center, I consider home births a form of child abuse and entirely unacceptable for this century. quote]
You are welcome to have your opinion, but studies show homebirth to be as safe (in some cases actually safer) then hospital birth for low risk women.
however, Im not hear to debate the safety of homebirth. I just came looking for info on how assisting at homebirths can impact my nursing license.

PamUK · Apr 18, 2006

As a person who had a disasterous outcome in a tertiary medical center, I consider home births a form of child abuse and entirely unacceptable for this century. An "elderly" primip lost a baby in my county at home when the patient refused to get into an ambulance. Not much protection for the midwife who allowed a nutty patient to put the midwife in an awful position.
Why would you put yourself at such risk?

Not much a midwife can do if the patient refuses to get in an ambulance. The term "Nutty patient" is an incredibly derogatory term. Perhaps incompetent to make medical decisions would be more appropriate. But, just because someone doesn't agree with medical/clinical advice doesn't make them, incompetent.

tinyscrafts · Apr 18, 2006

YIKES! so I'm a doula now, and considering nursing school. If i went and got my RN I could never act as a doula again without being afraid of loosing my RN in some way????

That's pretty scary. I do know some HB assistants that are LVNs and i think i know 1 that's a n RN too. Maybe i'll ask her. Or maybe the alegal staus of DEM's in your state is more of a concern? I can see the possiblity of the district attorney filing against you as the most qualified (in their eyes) person there, they'd probably go file on both of you.

I'm, not surprised in the slightest that the BON had no clue.