How many days a week would I be working as a nurse or midwife ?

That's a loaded question, because as a labor and delivery nurse (I'm assuming that is the type of nurse you are asking about), they work typically 3 days a week, 12 hour shifts. They often must pick up mandatory on call days each month as well. Midwives' hours vary greatly. In high volume practices, they may only work 40 hours per week, but are very busy all 40 hours. Most others are required to work several days in the office and take call for deliveries as well. These hours can vary greatly, typically from 40 hours to +/-100 hours a week. And often for similar pay. The positions that require a lot of call hours generally aren't required to stay at the hospital all of those hours, but only come in when a patient is in labor or needs to be rounded on. The downside to this arrangement obviously is that it is difficult to make plans in one's personal life. Most midwives work more hours than labor nurses do. I myself have worked in positions that required 56 hours per week and those with as few as 36 hours per week. I will say that as a midwife, most of your work hours are physically easier than a labor nurse. I get to go to sleep when I'm not busy, they do not.

As a nurse you have many options as to the amount of days or even hours you work. It really depends on the area of nursing you choose. Three 12 hour shifts a week is pretty typical. You also have the option to work PRN (as needed). Nurses work night or day shifts. I work as a school nurse 7.5 hours a day. My work week changes throughout the year. I am off for a month in the summer and on all of the holidays.