We’ve been looking in recent posts at the regulation of midwives in Minnesota. Last time, we briefly looked at some of the regulations that apply to licensed traditional midwives under state law. As we noted, certified nurse midwives are regulated by the Board of Nursing rather than the Board of Medical Practice, so a different set of rules apply to them in Minnesota.
Because licensed traditional midwives are regulated by the Board of Medical Practice, they are subject to disciplinary action on the same terms as a physician would be. Grounds for disciplinary action include: conviction of a felony; disciplinary action in another state; false advertising; violation of a rule or order of the board, or state or federal law regarding the practice of medicine; unethical or unprofessional conduct; inability to practice with reasonable skill and safety to patients due to substance abuse, mental or physical illness, aging or loss of motor skills; and so on.
Certified nurse midwives, being regulated by the Board of Nursing, are subject to a separate set of rules. In any case of midwife discipline, it is critical for the practitioner to work with an experienced attorney to ensure the disciplinary process is carried out properly and that the practitioner’s due process rights are respected. If disciplinary action is issued because of circumstances in the practitioner’s life which require professional assistance, an experienced advocate can help ensure that the practitioner receives the help he or she needs.
Protecting one’s professional license is an important matter, and having the assistance of an experienced attorney can be invaluable to ensure a practitioner’s livelihood and profession is not arbitrarily taken away from him or her.