Section 120. Practitioner responsibility

A. A practitioner shall:

1. Transfer care immediately in critical situations that are deemed to be unsafe to a client or infant and remain with the client until the transfer is complete;

2. Work collaboratively with other health professionals and refer a client or an infant to appropriate health care professionals when either needs care outside the midwife's scope of practice or expertise; and

3. Base choices of interventions on empirical and/or research evidence that would indicate the probable benefits outweigh the risks.

B. A practitioner shall not:

1. Perform procedures or techniques that are outside the scope of the midwife's practice or for which the midwife is not trained and individually competent;

2. Knowingly allow apprentices or subordinates to jeopardize client safety or provide client care outside of the apprentice's or subordinate's scope of practice or area of responsibility. Practitioners shall delegate client care only to those who are properly trained and supervised; and

3. Exploit the practitioner/client relationship for personal gain.

Historical Notes

Derived from Volume 23, Issue 10, eff. February 21, 2007.

Statutory Authority

§§ 54.1-2400 and 54.1-2957.9 of the Code of Virginia.