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Revista Matronas

Revista Matronas

DICIEMBRE 2021 N° 3 Volumen 9

The road to midwife academization in Germany

Section: Artículo Especial

How to quote

Raddatz Esgueva M. El camino de la academización de las matronas en Alemania. Matronas Hoy 2021; 9(3):33-40.

Authors

Manuela Raddatz Esgueva

Position

Universidad de Ciencias Aplicadas Osnabrueck (Alemania). Red de investigación sobre matronas

Contact email: m.raddatz@hs-osnabrueck.de

Abstract

Introduction: Germany is the last country in the European Union (EU) to implement midwife training in the academic setting; that is to say, the last country to apply the 2013/55/EU Directive. For Germany this means that an academization of midwifery training will be required, in order to adapt to guidelines and maintain the automatic acknowledgment by the EU. According to the EU Directive, all member states require university training for midwives. The amended Midwife Law (Hebammengesetz) came into effect in January 2020. Training is conducted in universities and ends up with a Degree in Midwifery. During a transition period until 2022, professional training schools may still offer midwifery courses, which must be completed by 2027.

Objectives: to determine the specific changes necessary for implementing the 2013/55/EU Directive, associated with the training of Midwives and the course of the on-going change, and to discover any problems, improvements and expectations detected by German midwives based on the changes implemented in order to achieve the academization of the Midwife profession in Germany.

Method: a review of the European directives followed by Germany as a Member State of the EU, the specific midwife training laws in this country, interviews with midwifery professors and midwives studying for their Doctorate Degree, as well as a collection of opinions online.
Results: less study programs than foreseen, and therefore, less training places were offered in 2020. Variations in Degree schedules and coexistence of both training models during the transition period. Lack of midwives with a Doctorate in University Teaching and with higher rank positions, and of midwives trained for practical teaching. Uncertainty among the professional group regarding the value of the different degrees and shared responsibility, due to federalism and involvement by different ministries.

Conclusion: it is not possible to claim that academization will improve things, because for the time being a series of challenges must be overcome, which will take a few years, and it is not possible to rule out other challenges along the road which cannot be predicted yet. However, there are great hopes regarding academization: an improvement in maternal and child care, in training, status and salary compensation for midwives, as well as a better balance of power between midwives and doctors.

Keywords:

Midwives; schools; academization; Germany; 2013/35/EU Directive

Versión en Español

Título:

El camino de la academización de las matronas en Alemania

Artículo completo no disponible en este idioma / Full article is not available in this language

Bibliography

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