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Recertification requirements at a glance


Continuing competencies
Requirement
Meet requirement/eligible to renew
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
Current certification*
Issued on or after April 1, 2021 OR April 1, 2022
Emergency skills (ES) 
Completion every 2 years
Issued on or after April 1, 2021
Fetal Health Surveillance (FHS)
Completion every 2 years
Issued on or after April 1, 2021
Neonatal resuscitation program
Certification annually
Issued on or after April 1, 2022

*Please note: most CPR certificates accepted by BCCNM now recommend annual recertification. If you complete a BCCNM approved CPR course that does not require ​or recommend annual certification, it is considered valid for a maximum of 2 years.​

Applicants for registration and practising midwives must successfully complete and maintain certification in the following competency areas as outlined in the Policy on Continuing Competencies.

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation

Minimum requirements
Completion of a course that complies with the guidelines of the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada. The course must cover the following core areas for CPR and emergency cardiac care:

  • Adult cardiopulmonary resuscitation
  • Pediatric cardiopulmonary resuscitation
  • Two-rescuer scenarios
  • Use of bag valve mask
  • Management of foreign-body airway obstruction
  • Use of Automated External Defibrillator (AED)
Approved courses
Course name
Offered by
Basic Life Support 
​American Heart Association
Basic Life Support 
​​Canadian Red Cross
Basic Life Support 
Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada
Basic Life Support Responder CPR/Health Care Provider with AED 
Lifesaving Society
CPR, Basic Life Support and AED
St. John Ambulance
CPR Health Care Provider 
St. Mark James Training
Not sure you've got the right course? Look for Basic Life Support (BLS) or Health Care Professional (HCP) in the course listing.
(Re)certification requirements
  • Provider: Annual certification. In cases where the approved course done not require or recommend annual certification, it is considered valid for a maximum of two years.
  • Instructor: Proof of current CPR instructor status.
  • Format: Current registrants can complete approved courses online; first-time applicants and former registrants that are reinstating their registration after more than 60 days must complete the course in-person.

Emergency skills

Minimum requirements
Successful completion of a course that covers emergency management in the following areas:

  • Postpartum haemorrhage
  • Shoulder dystocia
  • Cord prolapse
  • Undiagnosed breach
  • Undiagnosed twins
  • Fetal well-being
Approved courses
Course name
Offered by
Advances in Labour and Risk Management (Alarm)
​So​ciety of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada
Emergency Skills Workshop (Association of Ontario Midwives)
​​Alberta Association of Midwives
​Association of Ontario Midwives
​Midwives Association of Manitoba
Midwifery Emergency Skills Program (University of British Columbia) 
Midwives Association of British Columbia
Any other BCCNM recognized midwifery education program emergency skills course
Various
(Re)certification requirements
  • Provider: Every two years.
  • Instructor: Proof of current ES instructor status.
  • Format: Current registrants can complete approved courses online; first-time applicants and former registrants that are reinstating their registration after more than 60 days must complete the course in-person.

Fetal Health Surveillance

Minimum requirements
Participation in a Canadian fetal health surveillance course, module or workshop that includes:

  • A review of the fundamentals of antenatal and intrapartum fetal health surveillance
  • Completion of the National Fetal Health Surveillance Online Exam (minimum passing grade 80%).
Approved courses
Course name
Offered by
Fundamentals of Fetal Health Surveillance Online Manual and Exam 
​University of British Columbia Continuing Professional Development
Fundamentals of Fetal Health Surveillance 
​​Hospital perinatal program or BCCNM approved midwifery education program
Refresher/Renewal: Fetal Health Surveillance 
Hospital perinatal program or BCCNM approved midwifery education program.
(Re)certification requirements
  • Provider: Every two years.
  • Instructor: Proof of current FHS instructor status.
  • Format: Current registrants can complete approved courses online; first-time applicants and former registrants that are reinstating their registration after more than 60 days must complete the course in-person.

Neonatal Resuscitation

Minimum requirements
Completion of a course that meets or exceeds the Canadian Paediatric Society’s (CPS) National Guidelines and NRP levels 1-11, with skills required for a primary care provider and as applicable within the midwifery scope of practice.
Approved courses
Any Canadian NRP course taught by a CPS-certified NRP instructor.
(Re)certification requirements
  • Provider: Annual certification
  • Instructor: Proof of current NRP instructor status.
  • Format: Current registrants can complete approved courses online; first-time applicants and former registrants that are reinstating their registration after more than 60 days must complete the course in-person.

Proof of certification requirements

Applicants and registrants will be required to demonstrate that they have met the continuing competencies requirement, based on the type of application.
First-time applicant or reinstatement
  • Applicants need to submit a copy of their continuing competency certificates to registermidwives@bccnm.ca​.
  • Where the course requires an in-person component, the certificate for this portion must be submitted to confirm validity (for example, if completing MESP you must submit the MABC issued certificate).
  • BCCNM will confirm that certificates are valid and not expired prior to granting registration.
​Registration renewal (practising registrants)
  • During registration renewal, practising registrants will attest to having valid certificates that are not expired as of April 1 of that year.
  • Copies of certificates do not need to be submitted. Please keep proof of certification for your records as your continuing competencies may be audited.
  • This also applies to applicants who are reinstating their registration within 60 days.​










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info@bccnm​.ca
604.742.6200​
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