Certified Nurse Midwife

Job Summary

Under the supervision of an Ob-Gyn Physician, manages the medical care of patients throughout the maternity cycle, including the antepartum, intrapartum, postpartum and gynecological periods. Provides standard maternity care and counseling to expectant women following ambulatory care and inpatient standardized procedures, protocols, policy and procedures and instructions regulated by the State of California Nurse Practice Act and Southern California Permanente Medical Group.

Essential Responsibilities

• Manages the care of women during labor and delivery under the supervision of an Ob-Gyn physician.
• Obtains an accurate medical, obstetrical, gynecological and psycho-social history of the present pregnancy.
• Observes signs of the member's general and obstetrical health status.
• Performs complete physical examinations including the pap smear, breast examination, abdominal examination, pelvic examination and clinical pelvimetry.
• Records all findings of examinations, histories and significant observations in the patient's chart.
• Determines pregnancy status during gestation, presentation and position of fetus and fetal heart rate.
• Orders appropriate laboratory examinations such as chest X-ray, ultrasound, CBC, urinalysis, blood type and Rh factor, and serology tests.
• Consults with and obtains orders from an obstetrician for any special care or diagnostic procedure, and refers to other services as necessary.
• Institutes preventative measures, detects abnormal conditions, and obtains consultation and assistance from physicians as needed.
• Teaches, counsels and guides individual members regarding their individual health care, and refers members to social services, genetics or mental health services as appropriate.
• Provides health supervision, care and family planning advice to women during antepartum and postpartum periods.
• Evaluates fetal status by performing procedures such as abdominal palpation and ultrasound examinations to estimate fetal weight, presentation and position, approximate station and fetal heart rate.
• Performs internal and external fetal monitoring and interpretation, consulting with an obstetrician regarding questionable findings.
• Determines a member's degree of labor and whether the member is to be admitted to labor and delivery.
• Independently conducts normal spontaneous vaginal deliveries.
• First assists at Cesarean sections and gynecological surgeries.
• Performs immediate care of the newborn.