- A nurse midwife is an advanced-practice nurse, educated in nursing and in midwifery. A certified nurse midwife has additional training in delivering babies and providing prenatal and postnatal care to women. A nurse midwife attends to a woman during labor and delivery, often remaining with the mother during the entire labor process. Certified nurse midwives are trained to consult with a physician when they recognize symptoms during labor or pregnancy that deviate from normal and/or to refer a woman experiencing a high-risk pregnancy to a physician.
- Nurse midwives practice in hospitals, in birthing centers, in a mother's home, at clinics and in private practice. Each of these places offers a different birthing experience for the mother and the nurse midwife is trained to accommodate a woman in any of them.
- Those wishing to pursue certification as a nurse midwife must hold a Bachelor's degree, though not necessarily in nursing, as well as a current nursing license issued by one of the 50 United States. A candidate must have at least one to two years of nursing experience and a minimum GPA of 3.0.
- A candidate for certification must be a graduate of an accredited nurse midwifery/midwifery program. The American Midwife Certification Board (AMCB) administers a four-hour, computer-based exam consisting of 175 multiple-choice items. As of January 1, 2011, certificates awarded after 1996 will be valid for eight years, at which point they will have to be renewed. Certificates issued prior to 1996 do not expire. There is one testing center in each state.
- Certified nurse midwives are also qualified to provide routine gynecological care, to assist women with family planning and to provide birth control counseling. They may provide postnatal care for new mothers and babies for up to six weeks.
What is a Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM)?
Where Does a CNM Practice?
Education
Certification
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