Midwife or Women's health NP?

Specialties CNM

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Dialysis, ICU.

I am trying to decide which program I should do, CNM or WHNP. I am very seriously considering the bridge program at Frontier School but I haven't decided which specialty yet. Could someone tell me the difference between the two? Has anyone completed the bridge at frontier? Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks:thankya:

Do you want to deliver babies? If you do, then do CNM. If you don't, then do WHCNP. That is the difference - CNMs can do intrapartum care - labor and delivery - in homes, birth centers, or hospitals. WHCNPs can do prenatal care and postpartum care, but someone else delivers the baby. (Granted, moms deliver their babies, but you know what I mean ;) )

If you want to see what CNMs do, if you can catch a showing of "The Business of Being Born", go see it. It shows CNMs doing both home and hospital deliveries. Fabulous, fabulous movie.

Specializes in Med-Surg, Dialysis, ICU.

Thanks for the clarification. I really do want to do deliveries. I'm going to try to go see the film, I looked it up on the website and it looks great. Do you know anything about Frontier school? I have been looking at it for years and now I am in the position where I can apply. Thanks again!!

I am currently a Frontier student and love it - it is a great school. There have been many discussions about Frontier on this board, if you do a search you will find them. Good luck!

Specializes in Med-Surg, Dialysis, ICU.

Thanks babynurse!! It's inspiring to hear from someone going through the program and loving it. Best of luck to you!

Specializes in Labor and Delivery.

I just wanted to say that I just applied to Frontier's CNEP program (June 2008) and I have my phone interview next week....so maybe we'll be classmates together! As for your earlier question, I struggled with that as well and talked to a TON of people. I decided to go for the CNM, because with that you can essentially work as a WHNP, but not vice versa. A CNM can always choose NOT to do deliveries. A few WHNP's that I know said that they would like to go back to get their CNM because, although they don't want to deliver full-time, they feel like they missed a big part of their education by not learning to do deliveries. Certainly not all WHNP's feel that way, but a few do. That is just what I've learned. Good Luck!

Does anyone know anything about becoming a CNM AFTER becoming a WHNP?

I am hoping to begin a Direct-Entry MSN program with a WHNP specialty, but I want to know what my options are to become a midwife after this program. The program doesn't offer a CNM program (Salem State College), and the only one in my area that does is Boston University (which is out of my price range).

How much additional school would be required to become a CNM also? I am hoping that an online school such as Frontier might be a good option after getting my MSN.

The material must overlap significantly, right? Does anyone have any experience with taking this path?

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