NSXNational Skills ExchangeSign in
Back to Framework

Midwives

SOC 29-9099.01Job Zone 5 · Extensive Preparationv.26.05

Context coveredThis framework covers the full scope of advanced midwifery practice from supervised entry-level clinical care through independent management of complex pregnancies and labors to organizational leadership, education, policy advocacy, and research in hospital, birth center, and community obstetric settings.

Sources:O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.SkillsCrosswalkSkillsCrosswalk — O*NET enrichment + adjacency index. Opens in new tab.
Emerging
Entry / Apprentice
  1. Maternal vital signs and uterine contraction patterns — monitor and document under preceptor supervision during active labor in a hospital or birth center setting.
  2. Complete patient health histories including medical, surgical, reproductive, and mental health information — obtain using structured intake tools under direct clinical guidance.
  3. Fetal heartbeat and basic growth indicators — detect and record using Doppler and tape measurement techniques with attending midwife oversight during prenatal visits.
  4. Prenatal health assessment findings — conduct and report systematically at scheduled intervals under supervision to track physical and emotional changes in low-risk patients.
  5. Gestational abnormalities such as hypertension or elevated glucose — recognize early warning signs and escalate findings to supervising practitioners in an outpatient clinic.
  6. Ectopic and tubal pregnancy indicators — identify clinical presentations and initiate referral protocols with guidance from supervising clinical staff.
  7. Emergency response plans for labor complications — follow established protocols and assist senior midwives during urgent maternal or neonatal events.
  8. Newborn status at birth — perform initial assessment and assist with basic care measures, including positioning and airway clearance, under direct supervision in a delivery room.
  9. Electronic medical records and clinical documentation software — enter patient data accurately and retrieve health histories using approved midwifery practice management systems.
  10. Patient communication and active listening techniques — apply during prenatal counseling sessions to gather relevant psychosocial information under structured mentorship.
Developing
Mid-level / Established
  1. Maternal vital signs, contraction frequency, and labor progression — monitor and interpret independently across routine low- to moderate-risk labors in a hospital birth unit.
  2. Comprehensive health histories including reproductive, surgical, and mental health domains — obtain and analyze routinely to inform individualized care plans with reduced oversight.
  3. Fetal well-being through heartbeat auscultation, fundal height measurement, and Leopold's palpation — assess and document findings across a full prenatal caseload in community or clinic settings.
  4. Gestational diabetes, pre-term labor, and mild hypertensive disorders — identify, initiate evidence-based monitoring protocols, and coordinate management within a multidisciplinary team.
  5. Ectopic and tubal pregnancies — recognize clinical presentations, complete diagnostic workup, and arrange timely specialist referrals in ambulatory obstetric care environments.
  6. Newborn resuscitation and stabilization procedures — perform confidently using NRP guidelines when neonatal compromise is identified at delivery.
  7. Contingency and emergency care plans for labor and postpartum complications — establish and activate in response to evolving clinical situations with limited supervisory input.
  8. Prenatal emotional and psychological changes — monitor through standardized screening tools and coordinate referrals to counseling or social services when risk is identified.
  9. Clinical and administrative software including ERP and medical record platforms — utilize proficiently to manage scheduling, documentation, and continuity of care across a patient panel.
  10. Patient education regarding birth options, risk reduction, and postpartum recovery — deliver clearly and adapt communication style to diverse health literacy levels in group or individual sessions.
Proficient
Senior / Expert IC
  1. Complex maternal conditions including severe hypertension, gestational diabetes with complications, and retarded fetal growth — diagnose, manage autonomously, and coordinate interdisciplinary responses in high-acuity obstetric settings.
  2. Full-scope labor monitoring encompassing vital signs, contraction dynamics, cervical progression, and fetal status — integrate and interpret holistically to guide real-time clinical decisions without supervisory input.
  3. Non-routine fetal growth and well-being concerns identified through palpation, Doppler, and biophysical assessment — evaluate, formulate differential diagnoses, and arrange appropriate escalation pathways.
  4. Ectopic and tubal pregnancies presenting atypically — identify through advanced clinical reasoning, order confirmatory diagnostics, and manage referral and follow-up across the care continuum.
  5. Emergency and contingency protocols for maternal hemorrhage, shoulder dystocia, cord prolapse, and neonatal resuscitation — lead execution independently and debrief team performance post-event.
  6. Individualized prenatal care plans for patients with complex medical, surgical, or mental health histories — develop, implement, and adjust across all trimesters in collaboration with physicians and specialists.
  7. Newborn care at birth including advanced resuscitation, thermoregulation, and early neonatal assessment — provide with clinical authority and integrate findings into postnatal management plans.
  8. Psychosocial and cultural determinants affecting pregnancy outcomes — assess systematically, integrate into care planning, and advocate for patient-centered adaptations within organizational care pathways.
  9. Clinical data trends across a patient population — analyze using spreadsheet and medical software tools to identify care gaps, risk patterns, and opportunities for outcome improvement.
  10. Evidence-based guidelines and emerging research in midwifery practice — critically appraise, synthesize, and translate into updated clinical protocols applied across a full independent caseload.
Advanced
Lead / Principal / Executive
  1. Midwifery practice standards and clinical competency frameworks — design, implement, and evaluate at the organizational or systems level to drive measurable improvements in maternal and neonatal outcomes.
  2. Emergency and high-acuity obstetric response capabilities — lead development of institution-wide protocols, conduct simulation-based training, and oversee quality assurance audits for labor and delivery units.
  3. Complex prenatal risk stratification systems — architect and champion adoption of population-level screening programs for hypertensive disorders, gestational diabetes, and fetal growth restriction across care networks.
  4. Interprofessional obstetric teams including physicians, nurses, and allied health staff — coordinate and lead in high-stakes clinical environments, modeling advanced judgment and decision-making under pressure.
  5. Midwifery education curricula and clinical supervision programs — design and lead to develop the next generation of advanced practice midwives in academic, hospital, or community health settings.
  6. Health policy and regulatory advocacy for midwifery scope of practice — represent the profession at institutional, state, or national forums to expand equitable access to midwife-led care.
  7. Organizational performance data and patient outcome metrics — evaluate using enterprise-level analytics tools and translate findings into strategic quality improvement and resource allocation decisions.
  8. Research initiatives and evidence-generation projects in maternal-fetal health — lead as principal investigator or co-investigator, contributing original findings to peer-reviewed literature and professional guidelines.
  9. Patient safety culture and incident review processes within midwifery and obstetric services — lead root-cause analyses, implement systemic corrective actions, and disseminate learning organization-wide.
  10. Mentorship and professional development ecosystems for emerging and developing midwives — establish structured programs, provide expert clinical coaching, and foster reflective practice across the full workforce pipeline.

AI-at-Work Competency Framework

Sources:Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab.Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab.WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab.

A 4-level framework describing how a worker at each mastery level uses, directs, and evaluates AI tools in this occupation. Each statement cites its evidence inline. Subscribe for $19.99/mo to read the full framework — or sign in if you have a subscription.

  1. Emerging
  2. Developing
  3. Proficient
  4. Advanced
Monthly subscription · Stripe-hosted · unlocks AI-at-Work and Pathsmith™ Durable Skills across the full library

Pathsmith™ Durable Skills Framework

Sources:Pathsmith™ Durable SkillsPathsmith™ Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Subscriber feature

Ten durable-skill domains mapped to four proficiency levels for this occupation. Subscribe to unlock the full Pathsmith™ Durable Skills Framework across all 1,016 occupations.

Monthly subscription · Stripe-hosted · unlocks AI-at-Work and Pathsmith™ Durable Skills across the full library
Show O*NET source anchors61 anchors · skillscrosswalk.com

O*NET enrichment · skillscrosswalk.com

Suggest an O*NET correction

Source anchors that ground each statement

Related titles
APC (Advanced Practice Clinician) · APP (Advanced Practice Provider) · Birth Center Midwife · Birth Doula · Certified Direct-Entry Midwife · Certified Midwife · Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) · Direct-Entry Midwife · Doula · Homebirth Midwife · Lay Midwife · Licensed and Certified Midwife
RAPIDS apprenticeships
—
O*NET skills
Social PerceptivenessCritical ThinkingMonitoringActive ListeningSpeakingService OrientationJudgment and Decision MakingCoordinationReading ComprehensionActive LearningComplex Problem SolvingLearning StrategiesInstructingWritingSystems EvaluationTime ManagementPersuasionSystems Analysis
Knowledge domains
Customer and Personal ServiceMedicine and DentistryPsychologyTherapy and CounselingEnglish LanguageBiologyEducation and TrainingSociology and AnthropologyAdministration and Management
Abilities
Oral ExpressionProblem SensitivityDeductive ReasoningOral ComprehensionInductive ReasoningWritten ComprehensionSpeech ClarityWritten ExpressionNear VisionSpeech Recognition
Work styles
EmpathyAttention to DetailDependabilityStress ToleranceCooperationSelf-Control
Technology
Data base user interface and query softwareElectronic mail softwareEnterprise resource planning ERP softwareMedical softwareEnterprise application integration softwareSpreadsheet softwareOffice suite softwarePresentation softwareWord processing softwareInternet browser software
Tasks · seed anchors for statements
  1. Monitor maternal condition during labor by checking vital signs, monitoring uterine contractions, or performing physical examinations.
  2. Identify tubal and ectopic pregnancies and refer patients for treatments.
  3. Provide necessary medical care for infants at birth, including emergency care such as resuscitation.
  4. Conduct ongoing prenatal health assessments, tracking changes in physical and emotional health.
  5. Monitor fetal growth and well-being through heartbeat detection, body measurement, and palpation.
  6. Establish and follow emergency or contingency plans for mothers and newborns.
  7. Identify, monitor, or treat pregnancy-related problems such as hypertension, gestational diabetes, pre-term labor, or retarded fetal growth.
  8. Obtain complete health and medical histories from patients including medical, surgical, reproductive, or mental health histories.
CIP education codes
51.071151.320151.330251.3702

Sources: O*NET v30.2 (CC BY 4.0), SkillsCrosswalk.com, LER.me®, Anthropic Economic Index, SAFI (Jadhav & Danve, 2026), WEF Skills Taxonomy 2021, Pathsmith™ Durable Skills Framework. © 2026 EBSCOed.