Calling the Midwife – for eLearning

The ICM, which is based in the Netherlands, currently comprises 139 Members’ Associations, and represents midwives, midwives’ associations, midwife educators, regulatory authorities and other ICM-related stakeholders. This eLearning platform came about in response to a recent survey of midwives’ associations - representing every ICM region – which highlighted the need for improved and accessible professional development opportunities.

ICM plans to work with partners, including its Members Associations and experts in digital learning to continually create new modules relevant and responsive to the evolving midwifery landscape. The constantly evolving eLearning platform, which is a free-to-access professional resource, currently features five modules: 

• Orientation to ICM – covering what it is, what it does and how it works.
• Respectful Maternity Care - to help learners identify disrespect and abuse in maternity care and to follow the steps outlined in the ICM RESPECT toolkit and resources to address this.
• Financial Strengthening of Midwives’ Associations - an overview, for fundraisers, of practical income-generation tools and techniques.
• Mentoring - a specific approach to professional support whereby the mentor and the mentee embark on a mutually agreed, equitable, and reciprocal learning relationship.
• Advocacy - explaining advocacy and its role in advancing the midwifery profession at community, national and international levels.

“ICM firmly believes that, by strengthening the skills of midwives and their associations, we can strengthen the midwifery profession as well as the health and prosperity of future generations,” said Dr Sally Pairman, Chief Executive of the ICM, which is based in the Netherlands.

According to the ICM, the platform’s interactive, online resources - available in all three ICM languages (English, French, Spanish) - aim to:

• Support its Member Associations
• Enhance midwives’ skills
• Support midwife educators including clinical preceptors, midwife education providers, and regulatory authorities in improving and maintaining quality, midwife education
• Inform stakeholders about ICM's work
• Provide ICM-related organisational and sector training

Wendy Edie, eCom’s Managing Director, commented, “We’re excited to have been able to develop this key learning resource for such a vital – in all sense of the word – industry. We’re able to produce what our customers want – and need – swiftly, efficiently and effectively because of the emphasis we place on building empathy with the client right from the start of the project, followed up by high levels of customer care and support.”

According to an ICM spokesperson, ““The first pillar of a strong midwifery profession is education, to provide a highly competent, qualified workforce.

“We encourage our global midwife community to visit the platform. Our goal is to ensure that learners have a seamless experience within the platform and that the modules’ content is relevant to their professional needs.”