TOWARDS AN INTEGRATED MODEL OF COMPETENCE IN MIDWIFERY

Currently in the UK, there is no consensus as to what constitutes an a dequate definition of a competent midwife. Yet, given the rapidly chan ging midwifery needs of childbearing women and society, such clarifica tion has never been more important. In this paper some concepts of com petence taken from a review of midwifery, nursing, educational and ind ustrial literature are reviewed, and it is hoped that discussion leadi ng to conceptualisation of an integrated model of competence in midwif ery will be stimulated. Questions raised include - What is it that mak es midwives competent? Can competence be inferred from performance? Ho w can capability be recognised? Can competence be broken into elements for assessment without losing meaning?