title: Developing and validating scenarios to compare midwives' knowledge and skills with the International Confederation of Midwives' essential competencies in four European countries.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To develop, pilot and validate a number of scenarios which encompass all of the International Confederation of Midwives' (ICM) competency statements and which are of relevance in various European countries, both those in the European Union and those which might become members in the future.
  
  
  METHODS
  27 Scenarios designed to encompass all ICM competencies were tested using qualitative interviews.
  
  
  METHODS
  Slovenia, Germany, Scotland, Kosovo.
  
  
  METHODS
  68 Experienced midwives from Slovenia, 58 from Germany, 63 from Scotland and 76 from Kosovo.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although midwives found it difficult to relate to the scenarios dealing with pre-conception competencies, after revision, all scenarios were appropriate for use in all four countries.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The scenarios embrace all of the ICM's essential competencies for midwives in each of the countries involved. Additionally, they have face validity as shown by the spread of responses to each of the scenarios.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The scenarios may be used with confidence by experienced midwives in each of the areas involved. It is also possible that the scenarios can be used for education and assessment purposes. By considering the European perspective of the project, they also offer the potential to support the mobility of midwives moving between countries within Europe by assessing competence with regard to local practices in the new situation.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Midwifery and Community Health, Glasgow Caledonian University, 70 Cowcaddens Road, Glasgow G4 0BA, UK. V.Fleming@gcal.ac.uk
authors.forename: Valerie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Fleming
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pehlke-Milde Hebamme
authors.forename: Sheila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.forename: Teja
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zaksek
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards*; D055318:Evidence-Based Nursing; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D007391:International Cooperation; D007587:Job Description; D008427:Maternal Health Services / Q000592:standards*; D008880:Midwifery / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D024802:Nurse's Role; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D057184:Practice Patterns, Nurses' / Q000592:standards*; D012606:Scotland; D017524:Slovenia; D012956:Societies, Nursing; D055815:Young Adult; D015022:Yugoslavia