Cases

Chapter 1 To be a midwife

Case 1: Social networking

A first year student midwife attends her first birth with the midwife mentor and excitedly asks the parents to pose for a photo, which they agree to. The student posts the photo on her Facebook site with the caption that this was her first birth.

Questions

• a) What professional boundary has been crossed?

  Show Answer

  Correct answer:
  Confidentiality has been breached.

• b) If you were to witness this behaviour, what would your responsibility be as a fellow health professional?

  Show Answer

  Correct answer:
  Inform the student that this is a breach of confidentiality and to remove the post. Inform the university where the student is undertaking the programme.

• c) What could the consequences of this behaviour be?

  Show Answer

  Correct answer:
  The consequences could be fitness to practice proceedings, university disciplinary proceedings, and private lawsuit from the parents.

Case 2: Confidentiality

A student midwife is involved in a heated argument with a friend who is pregnant whilst on a night out. The student midwife was later overheard gossiping about her friend's blood test results to fellow student midwives.

Questions

• a) What professional boundary has been crossed?

  Show Answer

  Correct answer:
  Confidentiality has been breached, and a case could be made for professional misconduct.

• b) If you were to witness this behaviour, what would your responsibility be as a fellow health professional?

  Show Answer

  Correct answer:
  Report the student to the university where the programme is being undertaken.

• c) What could the consequences of this behaviour be?

  Show Answer

  Correct answer:
  Fitness to practice proceedings and/or professional misconduct proceedings, university disciplinary proceedings, private lawsuit.

Case 3: Criminal record

A student midwife was on a night out, unable to find a toilet; the student midwife urinated behind a bush but was seen and reported to the police. The student midwife was later cautioned by the police for indecent exposure in a public place.

Questions

• a) What professional boundary has been crossed?

  Show Answer

  Correct answer:
  Gross professional misconduct.

• b) If you were to witness this behaviour, what would your responsibility be as a fellow health professional?

  Show Answer

  Correct answer:
  Report the midwife to the police, Supervisor of midwives and midwifery manager.

• c) What could the consequences of this behaviour be?

  Show Answer

  Correct answer:
  Notification to the NMC, Fitness to practice proceedings from the professional conduct committee at the NMC, suspension and/or dismissal from place of employment, removal from the professional register.