6.1. Certified Nurse Midwives (CNMs)
Description
This article is from the Midwifery FAQ, by cnmpat@aol.com (Pat Sonnenstuhl) with numerous contributions by others.
6.1. Certified Nurse Midwives (CNMs)
In the US there are three types of midwives.
Certified Nurse Midwives (CNMs) are trained through approved programs
of the American College of Nurse Midwives (ACNM).
CNMs are trained in the disciplines of nursing and midwifery, but their
primary focus is the practice of midwifery. These programs are run by
Nurse-Midwives, and usually affiliated with a University or medical
school. Programs are either a one year Certificate Program or a two year
Master's Program. Some Masters degrees are in Nursing, some in Public
Health, and some in Midwifery.
Some states are requiring a Master's Degree for a CNM to practice (such
as Washington and Oregon) for licensure. Some programs admit two year
degree RNs, and some programs require a BS in Nursing for admission into
the program.
There are several accelerated programs, such as the one at Yale that
admits non-nurses with a 4 year degree and in three years the individual
graduates with a Masters in Nursing and become eligible to take the
boards to become both an RN and a CNM.
The Community Based Nurse Midwifery Education Program (CNEP) is an
innovative distance learning program which allows a student to study at
home and gain clinical experience locally.
Some midwifery programs for RNs seeking a CNM are developing innovative
curriculums and channels to increase access to education. The list of
schools for CNMs is long, and new programs are approved each year.
You can contact the American College of Nurse Midwives (ACNM) at
<info@acnm.org> to determine where the schools are and what the
requirements for admission are.
Subscribing to the Journal of Nurse Midwifery (the journal of the
American College of Nurse Midwives) will provide you with updates about
programs, and articles about CNMs and the issues facing them.
In the USA, Certified Nurse Midwives are growing and flourishing, numbering
over 4000. They are making inroads in many ways, bringing midwifery care
into the hospitals, providing care for low income families and becoming
a respected provider and part of the team of providers in medical school
programs, training residents in normal birthing.
Usually, CNMs work in a collaborative or co-management relationship with
physicians. This implies teamwork and promotes continuity of care.
In some states CNMs also hold a separate title, and must use it with
their legal signature. For example, in Washington state, I am an
Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner (ARNP) and Certified Nurse
Midwife (CNM). I am licensed through the Board of Nursing as an ARNP
because I am a licensed as a CNM.
This is important for our future viability, because nurse practitioners
are uniting, and someday that might be the title across the nation. I am
required to use the title ARNP, and choose to use CNM also. This is
confusing sometimes to the public.
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