What's the difference between a Women's Health Care Nurse Practitioner and a Certified Nurse Midwife in terms of what they do? Is a WHCNP an RN with a certificate and a CNM a more advanced nurse or APRN with a Master's degree? I would assume that the focus on birth would be the major, if not only, difference since CNMs do women health care.

Thanks.

They are both Advanced Practice RN Certifications, each requires an MSN.

CNMs concentrate on taking care of pregnant women and deliviering babies.

And just to understand, WHCNPs concentrate on . . .? Curious, if you have an MSN can you be certified to do both?

And just to understand, WHCNPs concentrate on . . .? Curious, if you have an MSN can you be certified to do both?

They are two completely separate tracks. WHCNPs normally do not get delivery privileges at a hospital or clinic. CNMs do. Do go for the CNM certification, most programs require that you have two years of labor and delivery experience.........WHCNPs do not have that requirement.

Vanderbilt in Nashville, TN offers programs in both areas, they are very helpful if you have questions about either program:

http://www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/nursing/msn/womenhnpq.html

http://www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/nursing/msn/nursmidwq.html

Many thanks JAHJF, that's what I was looking for. It didn't occur to me to check decriptions at schools for some reason. Thanks.

:) Your welcome :)

JAHJF, to a lesser degree, so have I but I know I want to help with births and CNMs can do other women health care so I, obviously, decided for that.

Thanks for your help.

Just want to clarify that CNM's do well-woman care (paps, birth control, etc.) as well as pregnancy and delivery. I wasn't sure if that was clear from reading above, maybe I just didn't catch it.

the university of pennsylvania offers a masters with BOTH certifications- if you opt for the cnm you will also graduate with the whnp, or you can just do the whnp. i understnad there a few other programs that offer a joint degree like this (fulltime, 18 months at penn) but i don't know who they are- does anyone?

http://www.nursing.upenn.edu

the university of pennsylvania offers a masters with BOTH certifications- if you opt for the cnm you will also graduate with the whnp, or you can just do the whnp. i understnad there a few other programs that offer a joint degree like this (fulltime, 18 months at penn) but i don't know who they are- does anyone?

http://www.nursing.upenn.edu

This isn't quite the same, but Emory has a "Family Nurse Midwife" which combines FNP and CNM (I think is totally cool.. you can keep caring for the baby after it's born!!)... I don't know if they combine WHNP & CNM.

What do WHNP's do that CNM's don't do? I mean, I know CNM's do pregnancy/delivery, but do WHNP's do any gynecological procedures that CNM's can't do? I sort of thought WHNP was CNM minus the pregnancy/delivery stuff.

Just want to clarify that CNM's do well-woman care (paps, birth control, etc.) as well as pregnancy and delivery. I wasn't sure if that was clear from reading above, maybe I just didn't catch it.

I was going to clarify as well, but you said it best. A CNM can do anything a WHNP can do... but a WHNP can't deliver babies.

And just to understand, WHCNPs concentrate on . . .? Curious, if you have an MSN can you be certified to do both?

Yale's website states that it's program makes a graduate eligible for adult nurse practitioner certification and whnp certification (allowing you to provide not only OB/GYN care but any other health care concerns a female pt may have w/in scope of practice of course).