Description #
Communication has been identified as a leading source of medical error in Canada. It is critical that midwives communicate effectively within the team. This module reviews strategies for enhancing effective communication. We also highlight the importance of effective documentation and provide a review of documentation standards related to legislation and standards of practice.
Health Professions Act #
The Heath Professions Act is the legislative umbrella that governs the Duties of the College of Midwives of BC. The College must at all times serve and protect the public and exercise its powers and discharge its responsibilities under all enactments in the public interest.
Midwives are members of the College of Midwives of BC and are required to maintain the standards set out in the regulations. Communication and documentation are a component of care. Please make note of the regulations that impact midwifery practice here in the Health Professions Act
Documentation #
Please click on the slide to launch slideshow #
CRNBC Documentation Review #
The College or Registered Nurses of BC have developed an online instructional module
on documentation standards that are congruent with midwifery.
This online resource will provide the following:
- Review of the legal, professional and agency directives for documentation in the medical record.
- Outline of the purposes and outcomes of documentation.
- Explore the principles that underlie effective written and electronic documentation.
- Describe characteristics of effective documentation.
- Review common errors in documentation and explore strategies to minimize these errors.
Click on this link to go directly to the CRNBC Documentation in Nursing Practice.
BC Personal Information Protection Act #
The purpose of the Personal Information Protection Act BC is to govern the collection, use and disclosure of personal information by organizations in a manner that recognizes both the rights of the individuals to protect their personal information and the need for organizations to collect, use and disclose personal information for the purposes that a reasonable person would consider appropriate in the circumstances.
Midwives must be familiar with the principles and rules outlined in the Personal Information and Privacy Act.
Freedom of Information and Privacy Act #
The BC Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act provides the foundation to make public bodies more accountable to the public and to protect personal privacy by:
- giving the public a right to access records,
- giving individuals a right of access to and a right to request correction of personal information about themselves,
- specifying limited exceptions to the right of access,
- preventing the unauthorized collection, use or disclosure of personal information by public bodies, and
- providing for an independant review of decisions made under the act.
Midwives must be fluent in their rights and responsibilities to their clients with respect to their information.
Freedom of Information and Privacy Act BC
Perinatal Services of BC Documentation Tools #
All midwives in BC are required to use Perinatal Services of BC data collection and documentation tools in their practice.
These tools and instructions on their use can be reviewed online at Perinatal Services of BC
Communication #
Canadian Patient Safety Institute #
The Canadian Patient Safety Institute (CPSI) has published a document that is geared to assisting the health care team
reduce error through improved teamwork and communication.
They believe effective teamwork and communication are critical for ensuring high reliability and the safe delivery
of care. Teamwork and communication techniques can improve quality and safety, decrease patient harm, promote cross
professional collaboration and the development of common goals, decrease workload issues and improve staff and patient
satisfaction. Canadian Patient Safety Institute
“Building effective teams and improving communication through standardized tools will move effective teamwork
forward in Canada and contribute to a culture of patient safety. CPSI is developing a Canadian Framework for Teamwork
and Communication to help healthcare providers and organizations integrate tools and resources into practice”
please take the opportunity to review their work here: