{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/54.1-2957.9.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/54.1-2957.9.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/54.1-2957.9.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/54.1-2957.9.html"}],"law_id":65541,"edition_id":1,"section_id":65541,"structure_id":14243,"section_number":"54.1-2957.9","catch_line":"Regulation of the practice of midwifery","history":"2005, cc. 719, 917; 2009, c. 646; 2016, c. 495; 2023, cc. 673, 674.","full_text":"The Board shall adopt regulations governing the practice of midwifery, upon consultation with the Advisory Board on Midwifery. The regulations shall (i) address the requirements for licensure to practice midwifery, including the establishment of standards of care, (ii) be consistent with the North American Registry of Midwives’ current job description for the profession and the National Association of Certified Professional Midwives’ standards of practice, except that prescriptive authority shall be prohibited, (iii) ensure independent practice, (iv) require midwives to disclose to their patients, when appropriate, options for consultation and referral to a physician and evidence-based information on health risks associated with birth of a child outside of a hospital or birthing center, as defined in \u00a7 54.1-2957.03, including risks associated with vaginal births after a prior cesarean section, breech births, births by women experiencing high-risk pregnancies, and births involving multiple gestation, (v) provide for an appropriate license fee, and (vi) include requirements for licensure renewal and continuing education. Such regulations shall not (a) require any agreement, written or otherwise, with another health care professional or (b) require the assessment of a woman who is seeking midwifery services by another health care professional. A licensed midwife may obtain, possess, and administer drugs and devices that are used within the licensed midwife’s scope of practice as determined by the North American Registry of Midwives Job Analysis. The Board of Medicine shall develop and publish best practice and standards of care guidance for all such drugs. The formulary shall not include any drug, as defined in \u00a7 54.1-3401, in Schedule I through V of the Drug Control Act. A licensed midwife may obtain medications and devices to treat conditions within the licensed midwife’s scope of practice from entities including a pharmacy, as defined in \u00a7 54.1-3300, or a manufacturer, medical equipment supplier, outsourcing facility, warehouser, or wholesale distributor, as these terms are defined in \u00a7 54.1-3401. An entity that provides a medication to a licensed midwife in accordance with this section, and who relies in good faith upon the license information provided by the licensed midwife, is not subject to liability for providing the medication.\n\t\tCompleting all Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health patient safety bundles advanced by the Virginia Neonatal Perinatal Collaborative shall be required of any licensed midwife who obtains, possesses, and administers drugs and devices within the scope of his practice.\n\t\tLicense renewal shall be contingent upon maintaining a Certified Professional Midwife certification.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":238272,"text":"The Board shall adopt regulations governing the practice of midwifery, upon consultation with the Advisory Board on Midwifery. The regulations shall (i) address the requirements for licensure to practice midwifery, including the establishment of standards of care, (ii) be consistent with the North American Registry of Midwives’ current job description for the profession and the National Association of Certified Professional Midwives’ standards of practice, except that prescriptive authority shall be prohibited, (iii) ensure independent practice, (iv) require midwives to disclose to their patients, when appropriate, options for consultation and referral to a physician and evidence-based information on health risks associated with birth of a child outside of a hospital or birthing center, as defined in \u00a7 54.1-2957.03, including risks associated with vaginal births after a prior cesarean section, breech births, births by women experiencing high-risk pregnancies, and births involving multiple gestation, (v) provide for an appropriate license fee, and (vi) include requirements for licensure renewal and continuing education. Such regulations shall not (a) require any agreement, written or otherwise, with another health care professional or (b) require the assessment of a woman who is seeking midwifery services by another health care professional. A licensed midwife may obtain, possess, and administer drugs and devices that are used within the licensed midwife’s scope of practice as determined by the North American Registry of Midwives Job Analysis. The Board of Medicine shall develop and publish best practice and standards of care guidance for all such drugs. The formulary shall not include any drug, as defined in \u00a7 54.1-3401, in Schedule I through V of the Drug Control Act. A licensed midwife may obtain medications and devices to treat conditions within the licensed midwife’s scope of practice from entities including a pharmacy, as defined in \u00a7 54.1-3300, or a manufacturer, medical equipment supplier, outsourcing facility, warehouser, or wholesale distributor, as these terms are defined in \u00a7 54.1-3401. An entity that provides a medication to a licensed midwife in accordance with this section, and who relies in good faith upon the license information provided by the licensed midwife, is not subject to liability for providing the medication.\n\t\tCompleting all Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health patient safety bundles advanced by the Virginia Neonatal Perinatal Collaborative shall be required of any licensed midwife who obtains, possesses, and administers drugs and devices within the scope of his practice.\n\t\tLicense renewal shall be contingent upon maintaining a Certified Professional Midwife certification.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":14243,"edition_id":1,"name":"Licensure and Certification of Other Practitioners of the Healing Arts","identifier":"4","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12759,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:47:26","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:47:26","permalink":{"id":242191,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14243,"identifier":"4","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/4","url":"\/54.1\/III\/29\/4\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12759,"edition_id":1,"name":"Medicine and Other Healing Arts","identifier":"29","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12758,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","permalink":{"id":241933,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12759,"identifier":"29","token":"54.1\/III\/29","url":"\/54.1\/III\/29\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12758,"edition_id":1,"name":"Professions and Occupations Regulated by Boards Within the Department of Health Professions","identifier":"III","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12754,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","permalink":{"id":241105,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12758,"identifier":"III","token":"54.1\/III","url":"\/54.1\/III\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12754,"edition_id":1,"name":"Professions and Occupations","identifier":"54.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","permalink":{"id":239313,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12754,"identifier":"54.1","token":"54.1","url":"\/54.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":83532,"structure_id":14243,"section_number":"54.1-2942","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/54.1-2942\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/4\/54.1-2942","metadata":false},{"id":78472,"structure_id":14243,"section_number":"54.1-2949","catch_line":"License required","url":"\/54.1-2949\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/4\/54.1-2949","metadata":false},{"id":81411,"structure_id":14243,"section_number":"54.1-2950","catch_line":"Requisite training and educational achievements of assistants","url":"\/54.1-2950\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/4\/54.1-2950","metadata":false},{"id":64376,"structure_id":14243,"section_number":"54.1-2950.1","catch_line":"Advisory Board on Physician Assistants; membership; qualifications","url":"\/54.1-2950.1\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/4\/54.1-2950.1","metadata":false},{"id":81540,"structure_id":14243,"section_number":"54.1-2951","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/54.1-2951\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/4\/54.1-2951","metadata":false},{"id":56449,"structure_id":14243,"section_number":"54.1-2951.1","catch_line":"Requirements for licensure and practice as a physician assistant; licensure by endorsement","url":"\/54.1-2951.1\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/4\/54.1-2951.1","metadata":false},{"id":85870,"structure_id":14243,"section_number":"54.1-2951.2","catch_line":"Issuance of a license","url":"\/54.1-2951.2\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/4\/54.1-2951.2","metadata":false},{"id":65581,"structure_id":14243,"section_number":"54.1-2951.3","catch_line":"Restricted volunteer license for certain physician assistants","url":"\/54.1-2951.3\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/4\/54.1-2951.3","metadata":false},{"id":70303,"structure_id":14243,"section_number":"54.1-2951.4","catch_line":"Exception to physician assistant license requirement; physician assistant student","url":"\/54.1-2951.4\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/4\/54.1-2951.4","metadata":false},{"id":77494,"structure_id":14243,"section_number":"54.1-2952","catch_line":"Role of patient care team physician or patient care team podiatrist on patient care teams; services that may be performed by physician assistants; responsibility of licensee; employment of physician assistants","url":"\/54.1-2952\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/4\/54.1-2952","metadata":false},{"id":70057,"structure_id":14243,"section_number":"54.1-2952.1","catch_line":"Prescription of certain controlled substances and devices by licensed physician assistants","url":"\/54.1-2952.1\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/4\/54.1-2952.1","metadata":false},{"id":74655,"structure_id":14243,"section_number":"54.1-2952.2","catch_line":"When physician assistant signature accepted","url":"\/54.1-2952.2\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/4\/54.1-2952.2","metadata":false},{"id":78179,"structure_id":14243,"section_number":"54.1-2953","catch_line":"Renewal, revocation, suspension, and refusal","url":"\/54.1-2953\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/4\/54.1-2953","metadata":false},{"id":72731,"structure_id":14243,"section_number":"54.1-2953.1","catch_line":"PA Licensure Compact","url":"\/54.1-2953.1\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/4\/54.1-2953.1","metadata":false},{"id":62429,"structure_id":14243,"section_number":"54.1-2954","catch_line":"Respiratory therapist; definition","url":"\/54.1-2954\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/4\/54.1-2954","metadata":false},{"id":65651,"structure_id":14243,"section_number":"54.1-2954.1","catch_line":"Powers of Board concerning respiratory care","url":"\/54.1-2954.1\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/4\/54.1-2954.1","metadata":false},{"id":72255,"structure_id":14243,"section_number":"54.1-2955","catch_line":"Restriction of titles","url":"\/54.1-2955\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/4\/54.1-2955","metadata":false},{"id":78108,"structure_id":14243,"section_number":"54.1-2956","catch_line":"Advisory Board on Respiratory Care; appointment; terms; duties; etc","url":"\/54.1-2956\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/4\/54.1-2956","metadata":false},{"id":86820,"structure_id":14243,"section_number":"54.1-2956.01","catch_line":"Exceptions to respiratory therapist's licensure","url":"\/54.1-2956.01\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/4\/54.1-2956.01","metadata":false},{"id":56016,"structure_id":14243,"section_number":"54.1-2956.1","catch_line":"Powers of Board concerning occupational therapy","url":"\/54.1-2956.1\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/4\/54.1-2956.1","metadata":false},{"id":84780,"structure_id":14243,"section_number":"54.1-2956.10","catch_line":"Requisite training and educational achievements of acupuncturists","url":"\/54.1-2956.10\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/4\/54.1-2956.10","metadata":false},{"id":66985,"structure_id":14243,"section_number":"54.1-2956.11","catch_line":"Advisory Board on Acupuncture; composition; appointment","url":"\/54.1-2956.11\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/4\/54.1-2956.11","metadata":false},{"id":60218,"structure_id":14243,"section_number":"54.1-2956.12","catch_line":"Registered surgical technologist; use of title; registration","url":"\/54.1-2956.12\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/4\/54.1-2956.12","metadata":false},{"id":81418,"structure_id":14243,"section_number":"54.1-2956.13","catch_line":"Licensure of surgical assistant; practice of surgical assisting; use of title","url":"\/54.1-2956.13\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/4\/54.1-2956.13","metadata":false},{"id":63963,"structure_id":14243,"section_number":"54.1-2956.14","catch_line":"Advisory Board on Surgical Assisting; appointments; terms; duties","url":"\/54.1-2956.14\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/4\/54.1-2956.14","metadata":false},{"id":76024,"structure_id":14243,"section_number":"54.1-2956.2","catch_line":"Advisory Board of Occupational Therapy","url":"\/54.1-2956.2\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/4\/54.1-2956.2","metadata":false},{"id":63150,"structure_id":14243,"section_number":"54.1-2956.3","catch_line":"Advisory Board of Occupational Therapy; 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fees","url":"\/54.1-2957.8\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/4\/54.1-2957.8","metadata":false},{"id":65541,"structure_id":14243,"section_number":"54.1-2957.9","catch_line":"Regulation of the practice of midwifery","url":"\/54.1-2957.9\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/4\/54.1-2957.9","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":56270,"structure_id":14243,"section_number":"54.1-2957.8","catch_line":"Licensure of midwives; requisite training and educational requirements; fees","url":"\/54.1-2957.8\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/4\/54.1-2957.8","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/54.1-2957.9\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 2005. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapters 719<\/a> and 917<\/a> of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. It has been modified 3 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 2009, chapter 646<\/a>; in 2016, chapter 495<\/a>; in 2023, chapters 673<\/a> and 674<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":[{"id":79127,"section_number":"54.1-2957.03","catch_line":"Certified nurse midwives; required disclosures; liability","order_by":null,"url":"\/54.1-2957.03\/"},{"id":72064,"section_number":"54.1-3300","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/54.1-3300\/"},{"id":59669,"section_number":"54.1-3401","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/54.1-3401\/"}],"permalink":{"id":242437,"object_type":"law","relational_id":65541,"identifier":"54.1-2957.9","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/4\/54.1-2957.9","url":"\/54.1-2957.9\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/54.1-2957.9\/","token":"54.1\/III\/29\/4\/54.1-2957.9","dublin_core":{"Title":"Regulation of the practice of midwifery","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 54.1-2957.9","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

The Board<\/span> shall adopt regulations governing the practice of midwifery, upon consultation<\/span> with the Advisory Board<\/span> on Midwifery. The regulations shall (i) address the requirements for licensure to practice midwifery, including the establishment of standards of care, (ii) be consistent with the North American Registry of Midwives’ current job description for the profession and the National Association of Certified Professional Midwives’ standards of practice, except that prescriptive authority shall be prohibited, (iii) ensure independent practice, (iv) require midwives to disclose to their patients, when appropriate, options for consultation<\/span> and referral to a physician and evidence<\/span>-based information on health risks associated with birth of a child outside of a hospital or birthing center, as defined in \u00a7 54.1-2957.03<\/a>, including risks associated with vaginal births after a prior cesarean section, breech births, births by women experiencing high-risk pregnancies, and births involving multiple gestation, (v) provide for an appropriate license fee, and (vi) include requirements for licensure renewal and continuing education. Such regulations shall not (a) require any agreement, written or otherwise, with another health care professional or (b) require the assessment of a woman who is seeking midwifery services by another health care professional. A licensed midwife may obtain, possess, and administer drugs and devices that are used within the licensed midwife’s scope of practice as determined by the North American Registry of Midwives Job Analysis. The Board<\/span> of Medicine shall develop and publish best practice and standards of care guidance for all such drugs. The formulary shall not include any drug, as defined in \u00a7 54.1-3401<\/a>, in Schedule I through V of the Drug Control Act. A licensed midwife may obtain medications and devices to treat conditions within the licensed midwife’s scope of practice from entities including a pharmacy, as defined in \u00a7 54.1-3300<\/a>, or a manufacturer, medical equipment supplier, outsourcing facility, warehouser, or wholesale distributor, as these terms are defined in \u00a7 54.1-3401<\/a>. An entity that provides a medication to a licensed midwife in accordance with this section, and who relies in good faith upon the license information provided by the licensed midwife, is not subject to liability for providing the medication.\n\t\tCompleting all Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health patient safety bundles advanced by the Virginia Neonatal Perinatal Collaborative shall be required of any licensed midwife who obtains, possesses, and administers drugs and devices within the scope of his practice.\n\t\tLicense renewal shall be contingent upon maintaining a Certified Professional Midwife certification.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nREGULATION OF THE PRACTICE OF MIDWIFERY (\u00a7 54.1-2957.9)\n\nThe Board shall adopt regulations governing the practice of midwifery, upon\nconsultation with the Advisory Board on Midwifery. The regulations shall (i)\naddress the requirements for licensure to practice midwifery, including the\nestablishment of standards of care, (ii) be consistent with the North American\nRegistry of Midwives’ current job description for the profession and the\nNational Association of Certified Professional Midwives’ standards of\npractice, except that prescriptive authority shall be prohibited, (iii) ensure\nindependent practice, (iv) require midwives to disclose to their patients, when\nappropriate, options for consultation and referral to a physician and\nevidence-based information on health risks associated with birth of a child\noutside of a hospital or birthing center, as defined in \u00a7 54.1-2957.03,\nincluding risks associated with vaginal births after a prior cesarean section,\nbreech births, births by women experiencing high-risk pregnancies, and births\ninvolving multiple gestation, (v) provide for an appropriate license fee, and\n(vi) include requirements for licensure renewal and continuing education. Such\nregulations shall not (a) require any agreement, written or otherwise, with\nanother health care professional or (b) require the assessment of a woman who is\nseeking midwifery services by another health care professional. A licensed\nmidwife may obtain, possess, and administer drugs and devices that are used\nwithin the licensed midwife’s scope of practice as determined by the North\nAmerican Registry of Midwives Job Analysis. The Board of Medicine shall develop\nand publish best practice and standards of care guidance for all such drugs. The\nformulary shall not include any drug, as defined in \u00a7 54.1-3401, in Schedule I\nthrough V of the Drug Control Act. A licensed midwife may obtain medications and\ndevices to treat conditions within the licensed midwife’s scope of\npractice from entities including a pharmacy, as defined in \u00a7 54.1-3300, or a\nmanufacturer, medical equipment supplier, outsourcing facility, warehouser, or\nwholesale distributor, as these terms are defined in \u00a7 54.1-3401. An entity\nthat provides a medication to a licensed midwife in accordance with this\nsection, and who relies in good faith upon the license information provided by\nthe licensed midwife, is not subject to liability for providing the medication.\n\t\tCompleting all Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health patient safety\nbundles advanced by the Virginia Neonatal Perinatal Collaborative shall be\nrequired of any licensed midwife who obtains, possesses, and administers drugs\nand devices within the scope of his practice.\n\t\tLicense renewal shall be contingent upon maintaining a Certified Professional\nMidwife certification.\n\nHISTORY: 2005, cc. 719, 917; 2009, c. 646; 2016, c. 495; 2023, cc. 673, 674.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}