In this Document there was Legal and Ethical principles used in Midwifery's, Without them it might be difficult fo workers to follow rules so it is is like the it is guide which contains rules for midwives.

1. LEGAL AND ETHICAL ASPECTS IN
MIDWIFERY
PRESENTED
BY
L MACKIE

2. BROAD OBJECTIVE
To equip students with knowledge on legal and ethical
aspects in midwifery

3. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
By the end of the lesson students should be able to:
• Explain the terms used in ethics and legal aspects
• Explain the national standards of practice for
midwives
• Explain the roles of midwives
• State the goals of ethical midwifery
• Discuss negligence that leads to lawsuits

5. INTRODUCTION
• Laws and ethics are often seen as complimentary to
each other , but they are also seen as opposite sides
of a coin.
• Midwives must follow standard and regulations that
range from the national level to the individual area of
practice, such as hospital, labor and delivery unit

6. TERMS USED IN LEGAL AND ETHICAL ASPECTS
LAW
Rules and regulations by which the society is governed.
ETHICS
Ethics is the branch of philosophy that examines the
difference between right and wrong.
TORTS
A Torts is a civil wrong

7. NATIONAL STANDARDS OF PRACTICE
• Various levels of legal regulations and standards
define midwifery practice.
• National standards provide an expectation of delivery
care.
• The educational programs of midwifery assure that
all new nurse midwives can safely deliver care within
the scope practice

8. NATIONAL STANDARDS OF PRACTICE ct….
LICENSE
• Midwifery practice is regulated in the country of
practice through license to practice.
• License is meant to protect clients and patients by
ensuring that the midwife has appropriate education
for the profession and can provide safe care

9. NATIONAL STANDARDS OF PRACTICE ct….
INSTITUTIONAL POLICIES
• The hospital policy govern midwives working in the
hospital.
• The midwife should review the policies of the units in
which midwifery care is provided.

10. THE STUDY OF ETHICS
• Provides the framework for exploration and aid
resolution of dilemmas.
• Different people may understand different things
from the same words.
 So ethics helps them to understand , what they
think and feel about any given situation.

11. ROLES OF MIDWIVES
Empowerment and advocacy
• One of the important role of the midwife is to support
and help woman to exercise their autonomy
• Educating and supporting as well as emphasis on public
health and health promotion.
Advocacy
• Means speaking out for someone’s rights.
• It is useful in situations where clients are unable to
make choices.

12. THE GOALS OF ETHICAL MIDWIFERY
• Is to do the right thing for the right reasons.
• Knowing how to make good decisions
• Knowing reasons for these decisions

13. CODE OF ETHICS FOR NURSES AND MIDWIVES
• Nurses and midwives have four fundamental
responsibilities to:
• promote health
• prevent illness
• restore health
• alleviate suffering

14. PROFESSIONAL NEGLIGENCE
• Medical malpractice is the legal error committed by
medical personnel.
• In legal terms, this error is tort a civil wrong that
injuries a person.
• If a tort is intentional , it becomes a crime of assault
or battery
• Negligence, a form of malpractice, is an unintentional
tort.

15. SOME NEGLIGENCE THAT LEADS TO LAWSUITS
PROBLEMS OF MEDICATION
Certain problems can occur during drug administration
which can result into allegations such as
 improper dosage of medication,
 improper client medication,
 wrong route of medication

16. FAILURE IN ASSESSING A CLIENT
• Assessment is the first thing which nurses midwives
have to do
• Based on the assessment care is provided to the
patients.
• Is responsible for assessing and reporting any minute
change in the client’s condition.

17. FAILURE IN MONITORING OF THE CLIENT
• It is the responsibility of the nurse to monitor the
client regularly depending on the condition of the
client.
• Is expected to monitor the condition of the client
admitted with any gynecological problem.

18. FAILURE TO REPORT CHANGES IN THE
PATIENT
• Nurses and midwives do regular monitoring and
assessment of the client.
• During assessment they may notice any change in the
client’s condition.
• This has to be brought to the notice of the clinician.

19. • Failure to follow standards of care
• Failure to use equipment in a responsible manner
• Burns caused by equipment or solutions
• Falls that cause injury to patient

20. • Leaving foreign object in patients body
• Failure to exercise reasonable judgments.
• Failure to communicate
• Failure to document.