A Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM) is a type of advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) that provides healthcare to women throughout the entire course of their lives. This may include family planning, gynecological checkups, and prenatal care.
Although their approach is somewhat different, CNMs, in many ways, offer similar care to that of an OB/GYN doctor. Midwife vs nurse midwife differences include varying scopes of practice, duties, and responsibilities.
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What do nurse midwives do? CNMs are focused on women’s health care. Common CNM duties include delivering babies, providing prenatal and postpartum care, assisting obstetricians, and performing routine check-ups for pregnant patients.
One of their most important roles is helping mothers give birth to their babies safely and naturally. They help patients manage their labor and monitor both the moms and babies during the delivery to ensure safety. In some cases, they work under the supervision of, or in collaboration with, physicians during C-section births.
According to the American College of Nurse-Midwives, 76% of CNMs identify reproductive care, and 49% identify primary care as the main responsibilities in their full-time positions. This includes things like:
It is also worth noting that as of 2019, almost 89% of births attended by midwives took place in hospitals, with the rest happening in birth centers or homes.
"I chose my career because I wanted to empower women to make their own informed choices regarding their health. Midwifery care is about providing health information and then placing power in the hands of the individual, so they are empowered to make the choices that best suit them."
Henna Ables, MSN, CNM, @midwifehennaLike most healthcare professionals, being a CNM means working nontraditional hours, and being “on call” to respond to patients who go into labor. CNMs typically work in private practices alongside obstetricians, in hospitals, or in birthing centers.
Nurse midwives work in various facilities, including:
The scope of practice for CNMs can vary slightly depending on state regulations, but in general, their scope of practice includes the following:
It's important to note that while CNMs are trained to handle normal, low-risk pregnancies and births, they work collaboratively with obstetricians and other healthcare professionals to ensure appropriate care is provided when complications arise. The specific scope of practice for CNMs may vary depending on the state regulations and individual hospital policies where they practice.
Nurse-midwives differ from labor and delivery nurses in many ways.
The lowest 10 percent earned less than $87,320 and the highest 10 percent earned more than $177,530.
Midwives have the ability to earn increased pay with increased years of experience. According to payscale.com, midwives can earn the following:
The BLS lists the top 5 highest paying states for CNMs as the following:
