CNM practicing in Massachusetts

Specialties CNM

Published

I'm interested in becoming a CNM my homestate is Massachusetts and that's probably where I'll remain.

Can you tell my what being a CNM in Mass is like?

Where can you practice? Is homebirth allowed under CNM care?

As a a CNM in this state do you feel you still follow the midwife model of care?

Thanks.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Reproductive & Public Health.

No advice really as I am going through the process right now. I am a CPM and just graduated nursing school on my way to CNM. Midwives in Mass have recently been given greater autonomy, and while I don't think any CNMs currently do home birth, they could in theory. Just like anywhere, midwives are going to vary in how much they follow a "midwifery" model vs a medical model.

My pipe dream is to work with a CNM/OB group affiliated with a major medical center, and offer home birth with complete continuity of care in the event of a transfer. I think it would be awesome, and add a greater element of safety since in my opinion the biggest problem with home birth in the U.S. is that home birth midwives are not fully integrated into the medical system.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I'm interested in becoming a CNM my homestate is Massachusetts and that's probably where I'll remain.

Can you tell my what being a CNM in Mass is like?

Where can you practice? Is homebirth allowed under CNM care?

As a a CNM in this state do you feel you still follow the midwife model of care?

Thanks.

Thanks for your response. I just read about the new midwife laws in Mass/ I think it's great news.

I have to ask are we mind twins? Because I absolutely agree with your last paragraph. I know some midwifes and aspiring midwifes aren't for unification of the differnt types of midwives or birth clinicians , but to me the most important thing is making things safer for mom and baby in the home or the hospital.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Maternity.
No advice really as I am going through the process right now. I am a CPM and just graduated nursing school on my way to CNM. Midwives in Mass have recently been given greater autonomy, and while I don't think any CNMs currently do home birth, they could in theory. Just like anywhere, midwives are going to vary in how much they follow a "midwifery" model vs a medical model.

My pipe dream is to work with a CNM/OB group affiliated with a major medical center, and offer home birth with complete continuity of care in the event of a transfer. I think it would be awesome, and add a greater element of safety since in my opinion the biggest problem with home birth in the U.S. is that home birth midwives are not fully integrated into the medical system.

Hi Cayenne06! I know this is an old thread, but I think we may be in a similar boat. I've got a few questions I'm hoping that you can answer. Firstly, are you applying to Baystate's program for 2013? (I saw your comment on another thread). I'm a BSN-RN and Im debating between Baystate and Frontier but I'm leaning more toward Baystate, it seems like a great program. Have you ever heard of the MS in Midwifery being a hindrance to finding work compared to the MSN?

Also, I've been having trouble getting a clear answer on the following two questions:

1.) Because of the new law, can MA CNMs now attend home births? Where can I confirm this info?

2.) As an RN w a MA license, can I attend home births as midwife's assistant (and only do tasks which I've been trained to do as a nurse, no baby catching,etc), or would I be stepping outside my scope of practice? I have a CPM who would be willing to work w me and would the opportunity.

I just moved to MA from NY where CPMs are sadly not recognized, but CNMs have a lot of autonomy. Also, I have several RN friends who are home birth midwife assistants. I hadn't realized it could be an issue until I moved here.

Any info you could share w be really appreciated! : ) thanks!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Reproductive & Public Health.

Just saw this, sorry!

Yes, I am applying to Baystate for fall 2013. and YES! CNMs in Mass can provide home birth services autonomously, under the new legislation. No one is doing it yet, but I think it will come in time. There is also a bill in the works to license CPMs as LMs. That law will only be worthwhile if they include mandated insurance/medicaid reimbursement, but it is a good first step. Feel free to PM me and I will answer any questions I can.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Maternity.

Thanks for replying! I'd love to chat further but can't PM as I'm a relatively new member. Im struggling between Frontier and Baystate. I was very sad to learn that Baystate has essentially no financial aid, so Im not sure if I can swing it. Have you considered Frontier? If you decided against it, can i ask why? Personally, id much prefer a program in person than online, plus im concerned about finding my own preceptor. I went to the Baystate info session a few nights ago and was impressed w the program. Plus I really liked Barbara Graves, the director. Im glad to learn that the new legislature might encourage some home birth CNMs. I was told by one CNM that the biggest problem is finding a physician who will collaborate because their insurance won't allow it/is too expensive. As someone who is coming from Ny where there are lots of home birth CNMs, I'm still not quite understanding the difference. If you get a chance please email me at [email protected]

thanks and good luck!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Hello Ladies,

In a very similar boat but trying to decide whether to leave MA to do a 3 year direct entry MSN for CNM or whether to stay and do an accelareted BSN and then apply to CNM masters which will take long and so may not really be cheaper???

confused

emily

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Nurse-Midwife.

EmmKay

If you're looking at a direct-entry MSN, does this mean you have a Bachelor's degree already?

If so, you have a few options. You can complete the RN in a two year program, and a few programs will allow you to enter with the patchwork RN and Bachelor's in something else. (Frontier has a portfolio process in this circumstance.)

Frontier also admits ADN students directly through a bridging program.

I'm just finishing up my RN through a tech college - and I have a Bachelor's degree in another field. Years ago I was admitted to a direct-entry MSN to become a CNM, but I found the cost to be way to high for the meager quality of the education. Yes, it gets you there fast, but it also gets you into a boatload of debt. Jury's out on whether my Bachelor's degree "means anything" to the power-that-be in the nursing world. Some say I need a BSN, others say I don't.

I figure if graduate schools are admitting non-nurses directly into MSN/DNP programs, why wouldn't they accept the same candidates who've added an RN to their CV? And doing that saved me about $30K. But, yeah, cost me a lot of time.

I'm not sure anymore of which graduate schools will accept RNs with Bachelor's degrees in other fields. Many schools are going exclusively to DNP for advance practice nursing degrees. They seemed to have altered their requirements somewhat.

Reasons to BSN/accelerated BSN: ADN programs are being cut out of their clinical sites in favor of BSN students. At least they where I live. Every semester our program would lose one or two clinical sites, and we'd have to commute further and further into the sticks. I found that accelerated BSN programs cost the same as graduate school credits. When I was looking at that option.

I have no regrets getting an ADN degree at ~$120/credit compared to $600-$700-$800 per credit for these acclerated BSN or Master's degree programs for getting an RN.

Maybe I'll be crying when no one wants to hire me because I don't have the right letters on my resume. But the cost-savings was a no-brainer. I can always do a BSN completion if I need to.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Just out of curiosity, are there any male nurse midwives?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in OB.
Just out of curiosity, are there any male nurse midwives?

Yes. Not a lot, but they're out there. One of the midwifery professors at Yale is a male midwife.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Yes. Not a lot, but they're out there. One of the midwifery professors at Yale is a male midwife.[/quoteHow do the women react to having a male CNM. I remember my days in nursing school and going thru the OB rotation. I practically studied all clinical. None of the women wanted me in the room. I can't imagine the reception as a male CNM and the things you'd have to see and do.
Up Vote Up Vote ×

Thanks for the detailed reply...

I'm also struggling with the notion that I really don't want to become a part of the intense medical model at birth- I've supported clients as a doula and it's been heartbreaking to see many of them have to "obey" OBGYN's, despite their own wishes. I would ideally love to work in a birth center or attend home births but I feel like the CNM route is better for employment overall then the CPM route, although at heart, I don't know if the CNM schools will teach me what I need to know to be a more holistic practioner. I figure I could be a CNM and then still be a CPM...

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment