SECTION 115.20. Basic Midwifery Education Course Eligibility

To be eligible for approval by the department as a basic midwifery education course, a course must:

(1) have a course administrator and site in Texas

(2) be offered only by an individual or organization meeting the requirements for course approval established by this section;

(3) include a didactic component which must:

(A) be based upon and completely cover the current Core Competencies and Standards of Practice of MANA and the current Texas Midwifery Basic Information Manual;

(B) prepare the student to apply for certification by NARM; and

(C) include a minimum of 250 hours course work;

(4) be supervised and conducted by a course administrator who must:

(A) be responsible for all aspects of the course;

(B) have two years of experience in the independent practice of midwifery, nurse-midwifery, or obstetrics;

(C) have been primary care giver for at least 75 births including provision of prenatal, intrapartum, and postpartum care; and

(D) be at least one of the following:

(i) a licensed midwife;

(ii) a Certified Professional Midwife (CPM);

(iii) American College of Nurse Midwives (ACNM) certified; or

(iv) a physician licensed in Texas and actively engaged in the practice of obstetrics;

(5) include didactic curriculum instructors who:

(A) have training and credentials for the course material they will teach; and

(B) are approved by the course administrator;

(6) provide clinical experience of at least two years but no more than five years and equivalent to 1,350 clinical contact hours which prepares the student to become certified by NARM, including successful completion of at least the following activities:

(A) Phase 1. Document attendance at 10 births in any setting, in any capacity (observer, doula, family member, friend, beginning student).

(i) The births may be verified by any witness who was present at the birth.

(ii) The births may not include the person's own birth.

(B) Phase 2. Document completion of the following activities, as an assistant under direct supervision:

(i) 20 births;

(ii) 25 prenatal exams, including 3 initial exams;

(iii) 20 newborn exams; and

(iv) 10 postpartum exams.

(C) Phase 3. Document completion of the following activities, as a primary under direct supervision:

(i) 20 births, including:

(I) five births for which the student provides a continuity of care consisting of a minimum of:

(-a-) five prenatal exams spanning at least two trimesters;

(-b-) the birth, including the placenta;

(-c-) the newborn exam (within 12 hours of the birth); and

(-d-) at least two postpartum exams (between 24 hours and 6 weeks following the birth); and

(II) 10 births that include at least one prenatal exam;

(ii) 75 prenatal exams, including 20 initial exams;

(iii) 20 newborn exams; and

(iv) 40 postpartum exams;

(7) include preceptors who are approved by the course administrator;

(8) allow student enrollment only to individuals who possess:

(A) a high school diploma or the equivalent; and

(B) current CPR certification.

Source Note: The provisions of this §115.20 adopted to be effective October 1, 2016, 41 TexReg 4477; amended to be effective September 1, 2023, 48 TexReg 4660