Abstract:

In the Czech Republic, the profession of midwife is a regulated profession, and the competencies of the profession are determined by both the scope and the level set for the profession of midwife by law. The competences of midwifery differ in comparison with other European countries, and the tradition of education in the Czech Republic reflects not only the historical development of the profession, but also modern trends and the needs of patients, emphasising the emic perspective of patients. The needs of parents vary, which is one of the fundamental aspects diversifying approaches within midwifery, as well as the level of access and care, which logically translates into the field of education.

The midwife provides and ensures, without professional supervision and without indication, basic and specialised care to pregnant women, women in labour, women in labour and physiological newborns through the nursing process. Under the direct supervision of a physician with a specialisation in gynaecology and obstetrics, the midwife assists in complicated births, assists in gynaecological procedures and instruments in the operating theatre. In accordance with the diagnosis established by the doctor, she participates under supervision in the highly specialised care of the woman and child. In recent years, several midwives have moved towards the profession of community midwife. The community midwife cares for the woman in a continuous, one-to-one system. In the exercise of her profession, she provides expert and often respectful midwifery care, reflecting to some extent international trends, but also the changing demands of parents since pregnancy and birth itself. These changes affect not only care but also changes in the level of higher education for midwives.

A very interesting influencing factor is also the changing identity of midwives, both reflected in the care and material culture.

This paper will present the way midwifery education is delivered in the Czech Republic, the basic approaches for the direction of this education and its transformations, as well as the factors influencing and shaping these transformations, whether it is the changing needs of parents or the strong identity of midwives and the culture of midwifery as such.

Keywords:

Childbirth, midwifery, midwifery education, identity, community.