Nursing and midwifery professionals

Nursing and midwifery professionals provide treatment and care services for people who are physically or mentally ill, disabled or infirm, and others in need of care due to potential risks to health including before, during and after childbirth. They assume responsibility for the planning, management and evaluation of the care of patients, including the supervision of other health care workers, working autonomously or in teams with medical doctors and others in the practical application of preventive and curative measures.
Tasks performed usually include: assessing, planning, providing and evaluating nursing and midwifery care for patients according to the practice and standards of modern nursing and midwifery; coordinating the care of patients in consultation with other health professionals and members of health teams; developing and implementing care plans, treatments and therapies, including administering medications; monitoring and alleviating pain and discomfort experienced by patients using a variety of therapies, including the use of painkilling drugs; monitoring patients’ health condition, including progress of pregnancy and responses to curative treatment; providing information to patients, families and communities about a range of health issues, including prevention of illness, treatment and care, pregnancy and childbirth and other topics; supervising and coordinating the work of other health care workers; conducting research on nursing and midwifery practice and preparing scientific papers and reports.
Occupations in this minor group are classified into the following unit groups:
2221 Nursing Professionals
2222 Midwifery Professionals
Note
The distinctions between nursing and midwifery professionals and associate professionals should be made on the basis of the nature of the work performed in relation to the tasks specified in this definition and in the relevant unit group definitions. The qualifications held by individuals or that predominate in the country are not the main factor in making this distinction, as training arrangements for nurses and midwives vary widely between countries and have varied over time within countries.

Narrower ISCO groups

2221 - Nursing professionals

2222 - Midwifery professionals

Concept URI

Concept Uri

http://data.europa.eu/esco/isco/C222

Status