Education Requirements for Nurse Midwife
Nurse-midwives are registered nurses who assist women before, during and after the birthing process. Nurse-midwives have the opportunity to work in hospitals, obstetrician/gynecology clinics, private OB/GYN practices, public clinics and birthing centers. These professionals are sometimes confused with midwives, who have earned a bachelor's or master's degree in another health-related field and passed a midwife certification exam. The average yearly pay for a nurse-midwife is $89,377, according to Salary.com.
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High School Education
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The American College of Nurse-Midwives encourages high school students to plan their career goals early. Those who aspire to work as a certified nurse practitioner should complete three years of math, including geometry and algebra II; three years of science, including biology and chemistry; four years of English; and two years of a foreign language, preferably Spanish. In addition, courses in health and family consumer sciences--food science and nutrition, or child and human development--are beneficial.
Career Decisions
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Once a student is accepted into college, the academic decisions made during this time could play a part in the amount of education needed to become a nurse-midwife. Students who have decided to become an RN through an associate's degree must realize that it takes more than a license to become a nurse-midwife. A bachelor of science in nursing is required to enter the master's degree in nursing program, the only route to become a nurse-midwife.
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Application to MSN
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All nurse-midwife programs are accredited by the ACNM and Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education. The basic requirements are a BSN and a state RN license. The admission process is limited and highly competitive. As part of the decision process, many schools use the applicant's undergraduate nursing and cumulative grade-point averages to filter the candidate pool. According to the ACNM, most programs have a limited number of spaces to admit new students each year.
Nurse-midwives Curriculum
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A typical MSN program is completed in two years (four semesters), however, universities do offer advanced practice nursing (APN) specializations within the MSN. Nurse midwifery is one of those areas. For the RN seeking a master's in the area of nurse midwifery, coursework includes background work in APN, and anatomy and physiology. Near the end of the program, students take part in nurse midwifery field experience in areas such as intrapartum and postpartum care.
Steps to Certification
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After completing an ACNM- or ACME-accredited program, graduates are eligible to take the national certifying exam offered by the American Midwifery Certification Board. The only eligibility requirement for the test is the candidate completing an accredited master's level nurse midwifery program. The four-hour exam, which costs $750, tests the applicant's competency in family planning/gynecology, prenatal and postnatal health, and similar topics. Those who successfully complete this exam are granted a Certificate in Nurse Midwifery (CNM).
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