Higher Diploma in Midwifery

The Higher Diploma Midwifery is a minimum 18 month programme which aims to prepare a competent, caring, and compassionate midwife practitioner who applies a systematic, evidence-based approach to care, responding sensitively to the needs of pregnant women and their families.
    Application form for the Higher Diploma in Midwifery Sponsorship Programme will be available from 18 March until 8 April 2025.
      Click here to learn more.

      Are you looking for a rewarding career in the Health Service?

      Midwifery is perhaps one of the most fulfilling and rewarding career paths you could choose.

      Not only will you support women throughout and after their pregnancies and bringing new life into the world, you’ll also learn a variety of skills whilst on the job and receive great working benefits.

      Midwives recognise pregnancy, childbirth and the postnatal period as a healthy and profound experience in women’s lives. Working autonomously and within a multidisciplinary team, midwives use their professional knowledge, skills and attitudes to support the woman and her family.

      Midwives work in a variety of settings, for example: antenatal and postnatal wards and clinics, birthing rooms, Midwifery Led Units (MLUs), community midwifery services, neonatal units, and obstetric theatres.

      Midwife with mum and new baby

      Choose a Career in Midwifery

      There are 19 maternity units in Ireland and many more community and continuity of midwifery care services are being developed. Registered Midwives can progress their careers with a broad range of opportunities available within the clinical, management, education and research settings.

      There are two pathways to becoming a midwife in Ireland (training) – the post-registration route for Registered General Nurses (Higher Diploma in Midwifery) and the undergraduate route (Bsc. (Hons) Midwifery).

      We offer opportunities for continuing professional development (CPD), to pursue formal education, conduct research and take part in courses, seminars and training programmes – including study leave.

      There are leadership opportunities and a robust Personal Development Planning (PDP) process to assist midwives to use their experience and skills, to identify their professional goals and the supports required to achieve their goals.

      Midwife and patient

      “...and that moment of exhilaration that the family feel when they first see their baby, the midwife also feels.”

      says Orla Mongan who is an Advanced Midwife Practitioner working in the Maternity Unit, Wexford General Hospital.

      Other midwifery colleagues offering their experiences and passion for the profession are:

      Join them and be part of someone’s unique moment in their life!

      Interested in the Higher Diploma in Midwifery programme?

      Click here for more information on the Higher Diploma in Midwifery HSE Sponsorship and Recruitment Programme.

      Explore further information on getting started with a career in midwifery by clicking on this NMBI link.

      Visit our Job opportunities on the HSE website job page or here.

      If you are living and working as a midwife abroad we would love to see you return to Ireland.

      To ensure that you are informed of all vacancies please register on the careerhub for weekly job alerts.

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