Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) Career
What Do You Do In This Career?
Certified nurse midwives (CNMs) work with pregnant women and families throughout a pregnancy to ensure the best health for both mother and child. A nurse midwife may conduct tests on both the mother and unborn child to monitor the progress of a pregnancy, determine risk factors, and provide treatment for any issues that arise during pregnancy. Nurse midwives are often present when their patients give birth to provide support and administer treatment such as epidural injections.
Salary and Career Information
- Salary: Nurse Midwives earn between $67,521 and $103,623.
- CNM Requirements: To practice as a CNM you must first earn a Bachelor of Science in nursing, and be able to practice as a registered nurse. Then you can complete a Master of Science in nursing with a specialty in nurse midwifery. CNMs must be certified at the state or national level to practice.
- Work Environment: CNMs can work in cooperation with a physician or as part of an independent midwifery practice, or in a hospital or other large medical facility. Long hours on your feet and frequent phone calls in the middle of the night are par for the course, but the rich rewards of helping mothers have happy, healthy pregnancies are a strong motivating factor for CNMs.
What Kind of Coursework Can You Expect in This Program?
MSN Nurse Midwifery programs include both scientific and sociological courses relating to motherhood and childbearing. Nurse midwives need to learn basic nursing skills as well as antepartum and postpartum care techniques for mothers and children. Nurse midwives learn to detect signs of problem pregnancies, and can provide counsel on whether a totally natural birth is advisable, or whether painkillers or even surgical intervention is necessary.
Health promotion, pathophysiology, pharmacotherapeutics, and medical data management classes are all part of a CNM’s coursework. Midwives historically advocate to empower women and promote their self-determination during pregnancy, and by extension, in the rest of their lives.
Earn an Online Nurse Practitioner Degree
Online nurse practitioner programs have grown in popularity in recent years as more accredited schools have begun offering online alternatives to these degrees. Combining flexibility with the lack of campus visitation required these programs are ideal for working professionals. By clicking on links below, you can request information from each school about its tuition, classes, and programs.
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Georgetown University — Stationed out of Washington DC, Georgetown University is a cultural and social hub and is one of the oldest schools in the nation. The school has two online nursing programs available, an MSN in Family Nursing and an MSN in Midwifery and Women's Health. Georgetown is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. |
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Kaplan University — Kaplan University's online presence is almost unmatched, offering over 170 online degrees and programs, including MSN in Nurse Administration, MSN in Nurse Education, and MSN in Nurse Informatics. However, there are also 70 campuses across the country for those interested in a more traditional education. Kaplan is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. |
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University of Phoenix — While it may not be surprising that the University of Phoenix is based in Phoenix, AZ, the school does have over 200 additional locations around the country. Phoenix has more than 200 online programs available, with nursing degrees in Health Education, Health Informatics, and a general track. Phoenix is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. |
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American Sentinel University — American Sentinel University is an online college focused on technology, business, and healthcare. The school offers several nursing programs like the RN to MSN bridge programs or the MSN in Nursing Informatics. All of these programs require no campus visitation and can be completed online entirely. ASU has an accreditation by the Distance Education and Training Council. |
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Capella University — Based out of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Capella University is an online school with over 37000 current students across the nation. Its online programs like MSN in Nurse Educator (Bridge option also available) have one-to-one tutoring, accelerated study, and low student to teacher ratios. Capella holds several accreditations, including The Higher Learning Commission and Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. |
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