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Nurse Midwife - Career Profile |
Career OverviewIn the last few years, as many as 95% of hospital birth were attended by certified nurse midwives or certified midwives. This is a phenomenal number. It is particularly telling when placed in the context of statistics for births at birthing centers or in homes. In almost all of these instances, births are attended by midwives.
The current climate dictates that midwifery is a pioneering profession once again, as midwives are increasingly reclaiming control over births and prenatal care as the role of the physician in these processes, at least for low-risk cases, is significantly diminished by financial and resource pressures.
Whilst certified midwives are not necessarily registered nurses, they often hold qualifications and licenses to practice as physician assistants or general medical assistants. Certified nurse-midwives must hold current licenses as registered nurses and have some advanced clinical training to practice.
The overall success of nurse-midwives is demonstrated by the relatively low rates of infant mortality, cesarean birth, episiotomy, and the use of anesthesia during births that pose low or medium health risks to either the mother or the child. The midwife's ability to reduce the rates of these practices is particularly viable in the current climate of the health care system, where such medically unnecessary costs are increasingly burdensome to an institution already under extreme financial pressure.
The general role of a nurse-midwife is to provide primary health care to women, including gynaecologic and maternity care as required. They must also be trained to facilitate a positive experience of labor and birth for women in a variety of circumstances, reducing the need for intervention in as many instances as possible.
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Career RequirementsTo become a midwife, either a certified nurse-midwife or a certified midwife, individuals are required to have a current license to practice as a registered nurse. They are usually preferred to have at least two years experience as a registered nurse working in maternity or prenatal care.
They must also graduate from an accredited nurse-midwifery or midwifery education program accredited by the American College of Nurse Midwives Division of Accreditation. They must also pass a national certification examination to become certified.
In addition to this, midwives are required to have additional training and at least a four-year Bachelor's Degree in Nursing in addition to their qualification as a registered nurse.
Midwives nurses are trained to provide basic and advanced care to pregnant women and to assist them and their families in the preparation for the arrival of the child. Midwives are also trained to provide counseling and educational support to promote a healthy lifestyle for pregnant women and this is an increasingly important aspect of their role in patient care.
The American Nurses Credentialing Center awards licenses to qualified midwives and is the official source for more information about finding an accredited training course. Contact information shown below.
American College of Nurse-Midwives
8403 Colesville Rd.,
Silver Sping, MD 20910
www.midwife.org
Association of Women's Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nurses
2000 L St. NW, Ste. 740,
Washington, D.C. 20036
www.awhonn.org
American Nurses Credentialing Center
600 Maryland Ave., SW, Suite 100 West
Washington, D.C. 20024-2571
(800) 284-2378
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Job OutlookIn the next decade, nursing will be one of the top 10 fastest growing professions in the United States according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Health care facilities will be looking to cut back on general costs so both certified nurse-midwives and certified midwives may become the preferred alternative to obstetricians or general practitioners when it comes to monitoring the general health of pregnant women and their unborn children and when it comes to monitoring labor and assisting at delivery of low-risk mothers and children.
The future looks bright in the nursing field, with the number of jobs for registered nurses expected to increase at a rate far greater than that of most other jobs in the next couple of years.
Increasingly, the treatment of pregnant women is falling into the hands of nurses, as opposed to physicians, so long as the pregnancy is considered low risk. Prenatal care administered by midwives allows physicians to focus on monitoring high-risk pregnancies and thus cuts medical costs overall.
There has been some discussion about dividing the field of nursing into professional nurses and technical nurses. This will distinguish between those who have four-year degrees and those who have associate degrees. Midwives nurses with advanced degrees and specialist training will likely be more secure in the job market if such a distinction occurs. Regardless, there are also ample opportunities for midwives to establish private practices and cater to the increasing number of women and couples who choose to have home births or births at birthing centers as opposed to regular hospitals.
The role of the certified nurse-midwife and the certified midwife are and look set to remain vital ingredient to ensure a positive experience of pregnancy for women and their families.
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Career TrackMidwives have credentials and the opportunity to gain experience that will allow them to take on numerous responsibilities in the field of medicine and in particular in the care of pregnant women, newborns, and infants.
The career track of every midwife and nurse-midwife may vary considerably but they have an excellent foundation to excel in maternity care or to expand their specialization in prenatal care, birth practices, and delivery.
The general education, training, and experience of midwives offers an excellent foundation for a career track in a variety of areas and in a variety of capacities, from patient care to hospital administration in the field of maternity care and neonatal care. Wherever your ambitions take you, the qualifications and experience of working as either a certified nurse-midwife or a certified midwife are likely to help you get there.
Based on experience, midwives and nurse-midwives have the opportunity to work in hospitals, in special clinics, in general health centers, and even in private practices.
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CompensationAlthough compensation for nurse midwives varies according to their levels of seniority, the annual pay is generally equal to that of a registered nurse.
- Nurse midwives: $40,000 to $70,000
- Emergency room nurse: $45,000 to $70,000
- Licensed practical nurse: $35,000 to $45,000
- Nurse practitioner: $60,000 to $125,000
- Nurse supervisor: $55,000 to $85,000
- Registered nurse: $40,000 to $65,000
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