Nurse-Midwife School
Helping You Learn the Ins and Outs of Midwife Training
Helping You Learn the Ins and Outs of Midwife Training
Find Nurse-Midwife Schools | Nurse-Midwife Career and School Guide
| | The origins of the word midwife, from the Old English for "with woman," goes a long way in describing the central tenants of midwifery. Midwives attend women not only during labor and birth, but also throughout their reproductive lives. They deliver a level of care unique to the profession, stressing the idea of "women as partners," and empowering patients to take an active role in their health care. In order to take part in this diverse and growing field, you'll need to complete nurse-midwife school with the core curriculum areas outlined below. |
Typical Nurse-Midwife School Prerequisites
Pre-Baccalaureate Applicants
Most graduate-level certified nurse-midwife training programs require you to hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree before enrolling. A few admit registered nurses (RNs) without bachelor's degrees, but as midwife schools become more popular, many pre-baccalaureate RNs are finding it harder to compete with more qualified applicants. To get started with your BSN, see our comprehensive nursing school database at www.AllNursingSchools.com .
Starting with a Bachelor's Degree
The vast majority of midwifery schools offer master's-level programs to BSNs. But if you have a non-nursing bachelor's degree, you can pursue a CM degree or direct-entry midwifery. You can also find a school that offers a general nursing education along with midwifery training so that you can sit for the certifying exam to become a CNM.
Graduate-Level Midwife Training
The American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) states that all accredited midwifery schools in the U.S. will award master's or doctorate degrees from 2010 on. This is great news for the profession because it calls attention to the high level of expertise provided by midwives. But as a student, don't get discouraged by the years of education you'll have to complete. A new cost-benefit analysis conducted by the ACNM found that nurse-midwives receive an 11.5 percent annual return during their professional life on the investment made in a master's-level midwife training program.
Master's completion and post-graduate certificate programs are also available for students in different stages of medical training.
Hallmarks of Nurse-Midwife School
The ACNM's guidelines for accreditation and complete midwifery care include a list of hallmarks that characterize the values of the nurse-midwife profession. Here is a summary of those values:
- Scientific evidence
- Continuous, family-centered care
- Cultural competence
- Interpersonal relationships, guidance and counseling
- Health education
- Care to vulnerable populations
- Advocacy for informed choice
- Non-intervention in the absence of complications
- Complementary and alternative therapies
- Collaboration with the health care team
From Survival to Success: Nurse Midwife Careers of Today
If the highly-medicated, procedure-oriented care offered in so many U.S. hospitals has you wishing the ACNM's values were more prevalent in maternity care today, nurse-midwife school may be a good career choice for you. Join the midwifery movement as it gains momentum across the nation, and take part in the many benefits midwives enjoy. Start browsing our extensive database of midwifery schools today. For more help choosing a school, see our Top 10 Tips for Becoming a Midwife.
Sources:
ACNM.org, 2008
MyMidwife.org, 2009
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