Fundamentals of Midwifery: A Textbook for Students (134 page)

Midwives and student midwives are encouraged to refer to the protocols, policies and guidelines
of the organisations within which they practice, and the regulatory body NMC for further clari- fication in relation to their role in the supply and administration of CAM.

It is not possible for midwives (and student midwives) to have complete knowledge of every
aspect of CAM practice. Therefore women should be encouraged to make use of professional bodies and voluntary registers relevant to the discipline for which they are enquiring, such as the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC), or the British Acupuncture Council to help them find a practitioner.
Conclusion
This chapter has outlined the fundamental aspects of CAM in the context of midwifery care. Thedefinitions and categories of CAM may change over time as new and more interesting healing systems emerge; however the role of the midwife should remain consistent in relation to ensur- ing the provision of safe and competent care to childbearing women. As pregnant women and new mothers increasingly engage with CAM it is important that the midwifery profession con- tinues to develop their understanding of how this growing phenomenon affects the midwifery role and responsibilities. Whilst the growth of CAM has allowed for the introduction of new, exciting and rewarding ways of caring for women, this has coincided with discussions about the increasing need for midwives to maintain their autonomy, facilitate normality, and ensure that women have a safe and satisfying childbearing experience. It is important that midwives continue to seek ways of facilitating normality safely and effectively, with or without the use of CAM, so that all women can continue to make use of the range of both conventional, main- stream and CAM’s available to them.
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Find out more
Below is a list of things you can find out about to enhance your knowledge of the issues and topics covered in this chapter. Make notes using the chapter content, the references and further reading identified, local policies and guidelines and discussions with colleagues.
1.
Taking medication whilst using CAM
2.
Comparative effectiveness research
3.
Randomised controlled trials
4.
Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC)
5.
Training and educational courses on CAM
Glossary of terms
Alternative medicine
An alternative medicine or therapy would be one which is used as a sepa- rate and different approach to healing, different from one which is generally accepted in Western medicine as appropriate for relieving uncomfortable symptoms of a bodily defect (for example if acupuncture is used to alleviate or cure back pain instead of ‘routine’ analgesia).
Anecdote
Interesting accounts or stories of an individual’s experience of something, and there are mixed views about the reliability this type of evidence.