Anyone enter CNM with little to no nursing experience?

[misslolalady]

Hi all,

Just curious if there are any people who were accepted to schools with little to no nursing experience. I am going to be graduating nursing school soon, and looking into Midwifery. I know that many schools require L&D (even though I really don't have much desire to work there), however, with the poor job prospects for New Grads in Southern California, I have no idea where I will end up for my first job, or when exactly that will happen. I understand that experience (in pretty much any area) would be advantageous.

I am looking at online/distance programs.

Thoughts?

[CNM2B]

Thank you all for the insight. I was just curious as to what others thought of the L&D experience requirements.

I can definitely see advantages to having some experience (in any specialty, really). However, I think that some schools should be a bit more flexible when it comes to the L&D requirement. It does seem as though L&D is a completely different animal when compared with Midwifery. This is part of the reason too that I feel I would have a difficult time working in L&D. I feel it would be difficult to tell the patients, "No, you can't move around as you please, as it interferes with the monitor". "No, you can't get up to use the bathroom, I'll straight cath you". Directed pushing, continuous fetal monitoring.... etc. etc. I especially think this is true because I am currently pregnant with my first child, and I am in the care of midwives, and it is incredibly liberating to not only be allowed to do what I feel is necessary to feel as comfortable as I can birthing, but to be encouraged to do so!

I know that I will get to my ultimate goal one way or another...just trying to figure out which schools will be best for me to apply to!

Thank you all for the great advice and viewpoints!

So far in my experience working in L&D, those restrictions are really only applied to women who are receiving interventions in their labor (or having an issue with fetal heart tones). A healthy woman who is in spontaneous labor without medication (Pit or pain meds) does not necessarily need to stay on the monitor continuously and can definitely get up to use the restroom. Even if she is on the monitor, she can sit on a birthing ball or in a rocking chair (or stand at the bedside) if that is more comfortable for her. Women on the monitor can also get up to use the restroom (it is an easy thing to disconnect the monitor for a few minutes and reconnect when they get back to bed).

If she chooses an epidural, then yes she has to be confined to bed with continuous monitoring (she becomes a fall risk) and will need to be straight-cathed periodically. Not only will she be unable to walk to the bathroom, but she most likely will not feel the urge to void (a full bladder will impede the labor process). This is where an L&D nurse can make a great deal of impact--regular and creative position changes can really help with labor progression. I've learned some great tips on how to facilitate the decent of a baby who is posterior or still really high, or for a woman who is not dilating--all with position changes. Again, these aren't textbook ideas, they were taught to me by nurses with years of experience.

[misslolalady]

So far in my experience working in L&D, those restrictions are really only applied to women who are receiving interventions in their labor (or having an issue with fetal heart tones). A healthy woman who is in spontaneous labor without medication (Pit or pain meds) does not necessarily need to stay on the monitor continuously and can definitely get up to use the restroom. Even if she is on the monitor, she can sit on a birthing ball or in a rocking chair (or stand at the bedside) if that is more comfortable for her. Women on the monitor can also get up to use the restroom (it is an easy thing to disconnect the monitor for a few minutes and reconnect when they get back to bed).

If she chooses an epidural, then yes she has to be confined to bed with continuous monitoring (she becomes a fall risk) and will need to be straight-cathed periodically. Not only will she be unable to walk to the bathroom, but she most likely will not feel the urge to void (a full bladder will impede the labor process). This is where an L&D nurse can make a great deal of impact--regular and creative position changes can really help with labor progression. I've learned some great rips on how to facilitate the decent of a baby who is posterior or still really high, or for a woman who is not dilating--all with position changes. Again, these aren't textbook ideas, they were taught to me by nurses with years of experience.

That's fantastic that you do help women in labor with position change- this definitely makes all the difference in how exactly a labor will progress. I know that not labors go exactly as how I described them. I do understand that the pt. would be a fall risk etc. once she has an Epi. I would like to think that I would be a nurse that would encourage and support my patient and the choices that she made as best I can. I just feel that I am so into natural birth, and the prospect of working with low risk pts. that it would be more difficult to work with patients with an Epi., on Pit, etc., that's all. (I am just talking about the things that I have seen on the L&D floor, although I don't work L&D) But again, I do see that having the experience with the pt. that is using some of these interventions (or not) may better prepare the Midwife for any unforeseen circumstances that he/she may encounter later on.

[HeartsOpenWide, RN]

I don't know of any programs that will accept someone with no nursing experience. I think the minimum is 1 year of nursing. Some programs require L&D experience, but others do not.

UCSF (University College of San Fransisco) does; and it is one of the top schools in the country. They do give preference to those with experience though.