Differences between the practice of nurses and midwives

It is often claimed by midwives that they have an unique role which is complementary to but different from the roles of other health care professionals. Most of the studies done in midwifery so far lack clarity of definition and distinction with regard to process as well as contents. It is important to describe the functions of a midwife clearly, because the absence of a clearly defined sphere of practice creates problems in the development of an appropriate curriculum. The aim of this study is to describe the unique functional activities of midwives and compare it with those of the nurse.