[mitchsmom]

Originally Posted by fergus51

Do you know what those rankings were based on? Just curious.

No, I'm not sure but I'd like to know too

[epiphany]

Originally Posted by SmilingBluEyes

I think, Alison, we need to be careful with our verbage here. No one is "always" or "never" something. Please re-read my post. I said it's not ALWAYS bad to be "stuck in nurse mode" as a CNM.There are things we do and learn as nurses that are invaluable to midwifery practice. That is a fact. All the CNM's I have had the good fortune to work with were nurses first and very, very respectful of the family's choices and needs regarding their birthing experiences. They were VERY low intervention people, as well, doing tub births, very intermittent doppler monitoring, aroma/music therapies and other NON-medical skills served as staples of their "midwifery toolkits".

That so many people (including midwives) are against the medical model of childbirthing, I can very well understand.

But remember, we nurses DO possess skills that transcend machines, epidurals and monitors, ok? Our experiences can be invaluable and do count for a lot. Unless you are already a nurse, I can see where you may not understand this. But it bears repeating: Somethings need NOT be forgotten or lost as a person moves from bedside RN to CNM. It's NOT a bad thing to be a nurse first. We do learn about more than machines and monitors. We do care for PEOPLE first.

It may not be bad not to already be an RN, either. But I do think bedside experience cannot possibly hurt in CNM practice. Not having experience may be fine-----I am willing to allow it would depend on the INDIVIDUAL and his/her ambition and personal beliefs about birthing. Those are just as important as bedside experience for ANY practicioner. The learning curve will certainly be steep, but not insurmountable.

I am so glad you here, smiling. You have helped me a lot to put things in perpective. Though I was taught it in school, and have often used the terminology, the "medical model" vs. the "nursing model" seems to have been used as a battle weapon. If nurses are not medically savvy, what are we? Why can't we be technologically and medically skilled and have good bedside manners and compassion? Being a total newbie, and having to sort through the jargon, and in assessing who I am, I have realized that there are all kinds of people, both RN's and MD's, and it's who you are that makes you a great nurse, not which side of the fence you belong. I used to be snipey to MD's, pumped full of "nursing model" propaganda, but the nurses I admire most are the ones who possess common sense, willingness to address each situation individual, outcome orientated vs. win-orientated, AND clinically superior. That's the model I want to prescribe to, whether I'm a nurse or an CNM in the future.

[UTRN2005]

Originally Posted by mitchsmom

No, I'm not sure but I'd like to know too

Not sure about the CNM rankings but the CRNA rankings were based basically on the reputation that a particular school had with other schools. So the heads of other schools voted for which program they thought was the best. So all subjective. These rankings are usually somewhat controversial. The better way of picking a school is to find one that you feel comfortable at, comfortable with their philosophy, and feels like a good fit. That said I know absolutely nothing about CNM schools.

[expatnurse]

Originally Posted by epiphany

I am so glad you here, smiling. You have helped me a lot to put things in perpective. Though I was taught it in school, and have often used the terminology, the "medical model" vs. the "nursing model" seems to have been used as a battle weapon. If nurses are not medically savvy, what are we? Why can't we be technologically and medically skilled and have good bedside manners and compassion? Being a total newbie, and having to sort through the jargon, and in assessing who I am, I have realized that there are all kinds of people, both RN's and MD's, and it's who you are that makes you a great nurse, not which side of the fence you belong. I used to be snipey to MD's, pumped full of "nursing model" propaganda, but the nurses I admire most are the ones who possess common sense, willingness to address each situation individual, outcome orientated vs. win-orientated, AND clinically superior. That's the model I want to prescribe to, whether I'm a nurse or an CNM in the future.

I couldn't have said it better myself well done.

[SmilingBluEyes]

Originally Posted by epiphany

I am so glad you here, smiling. You have helped me a lot to put things in perpective. Though I was taught it in school, and have often used the terminology, the "medical model" vs. the "nursing model" seems to have been used as a battle weapon. If nurses are not medically savvy, what are we? Why can't we be technologically and medically skilled and have good bedside manners and compassion? Being a total newbie, and having to sort through the jargon, and in assessing who I am, I have realized that there are all kinds of people, both RN's and MD's, and it's who you are that makes you a great nurse, not which side of the fence you belong. I used to be snipey to MD's, pumped full of "nursing model" propaganda, but the nurses I admire most are the ones who possess common sense, willingness to address each situation individual, outcome orientated vs. win-orientated, AND clinically superior. That's the model I want to prescribe to, whether I'm a nurse or an CNM in the future.

thank you!

[midwife2b]

Originally Posted by Khadijah2

Has anyone ever attended this school or know of anyone who has. What kind of reputation does it have? After reading their website I was very interested in their "community focus" and combined CNM/WHNP program. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

I caution each of you who looks into midwifery programs to learn what "community focus" means to each program. I say this because when I was researching CNM schools the subject of "community" came up often. At one school it meant "you will be learning in our community as we have multiple practices and sites where you can experience high tech and low tech". Others defined it as meeting your learning needs in YOUR community, which is impossible if there is no one qualified to teach you. Another program meant that it had more of a public health focus vs. an individual or family focus. Figure out what you want first, then what you can do. In my case I had to do a little travelling 3 out of 5 semesters to get the training I needed. I got my well woman and antepartum clinical experiences fairly close to home(within 50 miles). Intrapartum was a 5 hr. drive one way but well worth it (I did 24 hr. shifts there). For my integration experience (final semester) I knew I wanted to experience something out of state, so plans were made a year in advance for that (I work full time so I had to save up some money and paid days off). My program was primarily internet. A lot of the programs are internet. Six or seven of the programs I looked into would have found the same clinical sites for me so I wouldn't have to move. In the end I chose a school fairly close to home that was CHEAP tuition wise because I didn't have to pay those stupid fees. I had a wonderful culturally diverse midwifery experience with great preceptors.

[BabyRN2Be]

I have to chime in and say that Frontier is one of the best midwifery schools. One of our CNM's graduated from Frontier, and she's so awesome. If I ever have kids, she'd be the one I'd go to. She's a great advertisement for Frontier.

[Nursey Face]

I noticed that folks were using CM as a blanket for all direct-entry midwives. There are actually two types: CMs - certified midwives and CPMs - certified professional midwives. The CM designation is quite new (within the last 20 years) and is sort of a more medicalized midwife and only New York has programs for this, and all midwives practicing in NY are called CMs. If I remember correctly, some ppl would like all midwives to be CMs. There is some controversy over this topic. Interesting stuff!!!

The book Paths to Becoming a Midwife, discusses this extensively.

[IBCLCMindy]

Am a CNEP grad and very proud of it!

Wonderful school, great faculty and the oldest continuously operating midwifery program in the country.

Tough program that has you doing nearly twice as much as the minimum ACNM births and patient management program. Graduates are frequently complemented on their ability to pick up a full patient load on graduation, whereas grads from many other programs are still "newbies" and lack the confidence and competence to take on patient care.

[tinyscrafts]

In CA we have Licensed Midwives LM's that are non nurse midwives licensed by the medical board.
and CNM's