How to become a certified nurse midwife?
The role of a nurse midwife is to assist pregnant women in childbirth. A midwife is a nurse who has basic knowledge of gynecology and is well trained to prescribe medicine if needed. Any health care needed by a pregnant woman, during and after childbirth, can be provided by a certified nurse midwife. This field of medicine is becoming increasingly popular in all parts of the world. If you are thinking about getting started with this career you have to first enlist yourself in a nursing school.
There are many accredited nurse midwifery courses that can be taken by certified nurse midwife aspirants. The first step to be a nurse midwife is completing a nursing degree. For getting started with this career path you can have two routes- Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). If you aspire to get a BSN degree it will take you four years but at the end it would be more helpful for you in enhancing your career. Once you have made up your decision to go for either of the two degree programs you have to get yourself enlisted in an accredited nursing school.
A few certification tests are required for being a certified nurse midwife. All the candidates for a nursing degree have to undergo the NCLEX-RN exam. Upon clearing the exam the candidates become qualified as a Registered Nurse. They now have to study an accredited nurse-midwife program which is accredited by the American College Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) association. Under this training program a range of subjects like embryology, gynecology, neonatology, obstetrics, etc. are covered.
The final step in being a certified nurse midwife is earning certification from the American Midwifery Certification Board. Once you have completed the certification exam you have to provide conclusive evidence of graduating from an accredited nurse-midwifery training program. By performing this step you will get certified to offer your services as a Nurse Midwife. However you must bear in mind that your certification has to be renewed after a period of eight years by sitting for the certification exam.
Although you can find employment with your current qualification getting a master’s degree in nursing can make your job prospects brighter. This advanced degree will not only polish your nursing skills and knowledge but also give you a competitive edge over the other nurse midwives. With a MSN degree on your side you can get promoted to administrative levels and also get the opportunity to share your knowledge by teaching in nursing colleges universities. This is a field which was earlier reserved for women but these days seeing male midwives helping women in the child birth process is not an uncommon scenario.
The certified nurse midwives have bright career prospects as the demand for this profession is increasing over the years. These nurses can seek employment with hospitals, birthing clinics and public health centers. A Certified Nurse Midwife can earn an average salary of $85,000 per annul. This field is both financially and morally rewarding.
Continue to
Certified nurse midwife education requirements
Top 100 nursing schools in the united states