MS in Midwifery wanting a WHNP certification

midwifetobe85 · Mar 2, 2013

I graduated this pass May with MS in Midwifery....I am not sure I want to delivery babies at this point in time. Can anyone tell me how I can sit for the WHNP certification?? I find it odd that as a Midwife you can do everything a WHNP can do and deliver a baby but you can't sit for the certification. Does anyone have any thoughts? information?

Hi there! Just to be clear, is your degree a masters of science in midwifery or a masters of science in nurse midwifery? I've heard that w the nursing degree you can actually sit for the WHCNP exam in NY, not sure about other states. I think if you have the MS in midwifery it's a bigger bridge because the WHCNP is an advanced practice nurse and your degree is not in nursing. (I agree though, it's silly politics since your are basically trained as a WHCNP if you're a midwife.)

So you haven't taken the CNM boards yet? Why not just sit for that exam since you're currently eligible and then look for a WHCNP position or a CNM position that does only well woman care (I have heard of jobs like this.) I don't think you have to be attending births as a CNM. I had a CNM for well woman care who had long since retired from births and only did gyn visits.

Where did you do your midwifery degree? I've just applied to Frontier.

scottietl · Mar 5, 2013

I went to NYU, so its a nursing degree...Masters of science in Nurse Midwery! I've been a RN for about 8 years!

When will you know if you got in??

PatMac10,RN, RN · Mar 9, 2013

Idk about where you live, but CNMs in NC can function in the role of primary healthcare provider as well as in the delivery role. As a matter of fact I haven't seen a WHNP in any of the clinics and hospitals in my area of NC. All OBGYNs around here use CNMs, or rarely an FNPs.

From what I understand, in most cases/states, the CNMs has a scope that encompasses the role/scope of a WHNP with the added price leave of childbirthing. Of course I know this can differ from place to place.

https://allnurses.com/ob-gyn-nursing/cnm-vs-whnp-532594.html

silkysha · Mar 9, 2013

I am a WHNP in a Women's Health Clinic at the VA, Fayetteville, NC so WHNP can function anywhere, they just can't deliver and have made the choice not to deliver. I went to Stony Brook Univ in NY and have a MSN in Pernatal Women's Health Nursing. Contact this program and get some advice before you sit for your boards, b/c we take the same classes except for the delivery portion. But we still have to have knowledge of what goes on in a delivery if we work in a Women's Health Clinic b/c we take care of pregnant women until the time of delivery. Call your board of nursing, they are the experts. Good Luck; don't give up on getting what u want!! We do it in other areas of our lives; but take charge of your career. WHNP'S can function as primary care providers; some women only see their WHNP and no other doctor if specialists are not needed for referral/consult.

PatMac10,RN, RN · Mar 9, 2013

I am a WHNP in a Women's Health Clinic at the VA Fayetteville, NC so WHNP can function anywhere, they just can't deliver and have made the choice not to deliver. I went to Stony Brook Univ in NY and have a MSN in Pernatal Women's Health Nursing. Contact this program and get some advice before you sit for your boards, b/c we take the same classes except for the delivery portion. But we still have to have knowledge of what goes on in a delivery if we work in a Women's Health Clinic b/c we take care of pregnant women until the time of delivery. Call your board of nursing, they are the experts. Good Luck; don't give up on getting what u want!! We do it in other areas of our lives; but take charge of your career. WHNP'S can function as primary care providers; some women only see their WHNP and no other doctor if specialists are not needed for referral/consult.[/quote']
Cool I live 30 mins from Fayetteville! :) I haven't seem of heard of a practicing WHNP in Ribeson Coynty, where I'm from. Not saying there aren't any, I just haven't heard of any around here.

bebbercorn · Mar 9, 2013

How did you like the WHNP program at Stony Brook? That's where I want to go next year, I was crushed when they canceled their program this year. I'd love to hear about your experiences there if you can collect a few minutes (also, how easy was it to find work??)

Sweetiie17 · Mar 20, 2013

Hello,

I'm a current nurse midwifery student at NYU, and from what we have been told is that we cannot sit on the actual WHNP board. But we can apply to be licensed as WHNP. The director of the nurse midwifery program need to write a letter on your behalf to the WHNP certification board showing that you have met all the requirements to be licensed as a WHNP. Hope this helps!