Nurse midwife

A nurse midwife is an advanced practice registered nurse who has specialized education and training in midwifery. In the countries where exists, they are considered a type of midwife. Midwife means "with woman" and thus is the mantra for the American College of Nurse Midwives, "With women for a lifetime."

Nurse midwives function as primary healthcare providers for women and most often provide medical care for relatively healthy women, whose births are considered uncomplicated and not "high risk," as well as their neonates. Often, women with high risk pregnancies can receive the benefits of midwifery care from a nurse midwife in collaboration with a physician. Nurse midwives may work closely or in collaboration, with an obstetrician & gynecologist, who provides consultation and/or assistance to patients who develop complications or have complex medical histories or disease(s).

Nurse midwives practice in hospitals and private practice medical clinics and may also deliver babies in birthing centers and attend at-home births. Some work with academic institutions as professors.^[1] They are able to prescribe some medications, treatments, medical devices, therapeutic and diagnostic measures. Nurse midwives, in most cases they provide medical care to women from puberty through menopause, including care for their newborn (neonatology), antepartum, intrapartum, postpartum and nonsurgical gynecological care.^[2][3] In some cases, nurse midwives may also provide care to the male partner, in areas of sexually transmitted diseases and reproductive health, of their female patients. Currently 2% of nurse-midwives are men.

By country or region

United States

Certified nurse midwife (CNM)

In 2010 the first wave of certified nurse-midwives graduated from Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) programs. The American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) estimates that soon, one in ten babies in the U.S. will be delivered by CNMs. In 2010 the first DNP program available for CNMs graduated its first class.

The American College of Nurse-Midwives accredits certified nurse-midwifery education programs and serves as the national specialty society for the nation's CNMs. CNMs in most states are required to

• possess a minimum of a graduate degree such as the Master of Science in Nursing or a Doctorate of Nursing Practice.
• pass the NCLEX examination to become a registered nurse.
• pass the American Midwifery Certification exams.
• hold an active registered nurse license in the state in which they practice.
• keep up to date on latest medical knowledge as pertains to their field.^[4]

See also

• Obstetrical nursing
• Mary Breckinridge Founder of Frontier Nursing Service
• Nursing
• Nurse practitioner
• Childbirth
• Doula

References