[Bryon]

My family (me, wife and daughter) is in the process of moving to NZ from the US. I came under a work visa (all done) in October and my wife will come soon under a work visa as well (riding on mine, hopefully the visa process will go smoothly) now that she has finished her masters in nurse midwifery (completed this past month).

She is keen to start practicing as a nurse-midwife now that she is board-certified in the US. Does anyone have information on the midwifery registration process? We have scoured the midwifery council website and have all of their official information.

Specifically, we are worried that she does not meet the requirements due solely to a lack of postgraduate experience (referring to post-masters experience which she won't get as she is planning to move top NZ to join me soon). The council has warned us that this would be a problem even though she has considerable experience as a registered nurse working in the labor and delivery unit of a major hospital and holds both a MS in midwifery and BS in nursing.

Given the apparently extreme need for midwifes in NZ it would be a shame if she was denied registration because of the differences in how training is defined rather than on basic competencies.

Thanks for any help,

Bryon

[migratory birds]

The current requirements for national cerification include having been the lead midwife (providing primary care) for a certain number of births during the training programme. That number was 25? 35? but will be increasing in the next year or two to 40? 45? to come into alignment with UK/Europe's requirements. Can't remember without looking it up. Am not sure if CNM training in US requires student midwives to provide primary care for a minimum number of births or if all births prior to graduation are in an assist capacity only.

The NZQA would need to review her qualifications to grant registration so they may be the next place to check. Check also with the Ministry of Health regarding registration. Surprised the Midwifery Council couldn't be of help.

She could consider applying under the Skilled Migrant catagory - midwives are on the long/short term skills shortage list and the likely outcome of such an application would be an offer of Permanant Residency.

I'd like to send you a private message with some contact info for someone who may be of help but since you're new or you haven't enabled reciept of private messages, I can't do that yet. Keep posting (there is a minimum of 5 messages that a newcomer needs to send out in order to access private messaging) - or send me a private message so I can get that information to you.

Congratulations on half the move done already!

[Bryon]

Hi Migratory Birds,

Thank you for the information. She should have no problem getting a work visa based on my own and won't need to apply under the skilled migrant category as well. Her visa is submitted and going through the process now. I hope it all gets approved soon; we are quite ready to be together again now that her schooling is complete.

Where were you able to find out about the minimum numbers for being the lead midwife? She has 34 now (her program required something in the range of 20).

Yes, this board requires 5 posts before PM is an option. I'll attempt to send you a PM with my contact information or just post a few more times (migrating certainly doesn't leave you with nothing to talk about...).

Bryon

[Bryon]

BTW - the thumbs down icon was inadvertent! I've really enjoyed living in NZ thus far ;)