A certified nurse-midwife (CNM) is an advanced practice registered nurse who provides counseling and care during a woman’s pregnancy, childbirth and the time after childbirth. A CNM also provides family health care to women all through their reproductive lives.
A nurse-midwife in most cases is a registered nurse who has earned a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN). Nurse-midwifery is one of the advanced practice nursing specialities that you can focus on.
A highly skilled nurse-midwife can cut down on the need for expensive, high tech care for many women who are in labor. However, a midwife also has extensive training in the very latest scientific methods to help during a normal child delivery. At this time, CNMs account for about 10% of all normal vaginal births in the US, and 7% of all births in the US. About 97% of these births happen in hospitals, and about 2% in birthing centers. About 1% occur in the home.
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If you are considering a career as a nurse-midwife, you should know that midwives do a lot more than simply help with births. This is only a small part of what these advanced practice nurses do.
Certified nurse-midwives also provide the following services:
- Gynecological health care
- Reproductive health visits
- Annual reproductive health exams
- Post-menopausal care
Certified nurse-midwives are highly skilled health professionals who work in many types of clinical settings, and they often diagnose and treatment patients and also refer them to specialists in many cases.
3+ Online No GRE Nurse Midwife MSN Programs
Georgetown University
Campus: Online
Type: Non Profit
Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education
Per Credit Hour: Total tuition: Inquire
GRE Required: No
Minimum Time Commitment: 24 months
On Campus Requirements: Yes
Program: Nurse-Midwifery/Women’s Health Nurse PractitionerMaster of Science
Request Info: Georgetown University Online
Ohio State University
Campus: Online
Type: Non Profit
Accreditation: North Central Association of Schools and Colleges
Per Credit Hour: $964 in state; $2068 out of state
GRE Required: No, for students with at least a 3.0 GPA
Minimum Time Commitment: 24 months
On Campus Requirements: Yes
Program: MSN – Nurse Midwifery
School Site: Tuition | Financial Aid
Medical University of South Carolina
Campus: Online
Type: Non Profit
Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Per Credit Hour: $795 in state; $985 out of state
GRE Required: No
Minimum Time Commitment: 24 months
On Campus Requirements: No
Programs: MSN – Nurse Midwifery
School Site: Tuition | Financial Aid
Basic Description of a Nurse Midwife MSN
A certified nurse-midwife provides essential health care assistance to women and families by giving them culturally sensitive care, therefore promoting and maintaining their health and providing the best possible outcomes to women in need. Most of the specialty tracks available in this field will prepare you for a challenging and rewarding career as a certified nurse-midwife. The coursework, clinical experience and research will allow you to gain the knowledge, values and skills that you need to be certified as a nurse midwife by the American College of Nurse Midwives Certification Council.
Common classes in most nurse midwife programs include:
- Leadership in Advanced Nursing
- Scientific Thought in Nursing
- Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
- Quality Improvement in Advanced Nursing Care
- Nursing in the American Health Care System
- Graduate Nursing Informatics
- Evidence Based Nursing Scholarship
- Advanced Health Assessment
- Pathophysiology of Altered Health States
- Advanced Pharmacology in Nursing
Most certified nurse-midwife programs are designed so that you can become eligible for required certification. Trade organizations, including the American Midwifery Certification Board, provide such certification exams.
Where Can Certified Nurse-Midwife Candidates Find Work After They Graduate?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the general demand for registered nurses is soaring; by 2020, jobs will increase in the nursing field by a very high 26%. There will be a high degree of growth because of greater demand for health care services from people living longer and more productive lives. There also will be more nurses because of technological advances.
Similar job growth is expected in the field of nurse midwifery. Many of the best job opportunities will likely come in chronically underserved communities, such as in rural areas. The Mayo Clinic reports that this field is one of the top 10 as far as fastest growth in jobs.
Salary.com reports that the median salary for a certified nurse-midwife is $92,200. Also, the Association of Certified Nurse-Midwives reports that the median annual salary can fall between $79,000 and $89,000.
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