"OB-nurse" vs. CNM....difference?

Ob nurses can be RN's or LPNs. RN training is at the associate or bachelor degree level. LPN's go to their own schooling which can be from one year fulltime to 2 years part time.

CNMs are nurses who have achieved education BEYOND THE BACHELOR DEGREE level by 2-3 years (or more). They have, in addition to having a bachelor's degree, gone to a school of midwifery (master's degree) for their training. Often, they have prior experience prior to attending school for midwifery as labor/delivery nurses, but not always.

A CNM is an independent provider of well-woman care to include pap smears, checkups, prenatal care, labor/delivery care, and menopause management. He/she often will have local hospital priveleges with physician backup or operate a freestanding birth center, near a hospital with csection priveleges. This person also holds medication prescriptive authority in the majority of US States.

The RN works with labor/delivery and mother-baby care in the hospital setting. He/she is not an independent care provider on the level of the CNM, rather he/she delivers care under the guidance/direction/orders from doctors and midwives. He or she is the "eyes and ears" of the care provider at the hospital, providing direct care for the birthing family's needs and keeping the midwife/physician informed of progress and patient conditions.

I can provide an extensive list of our day to day duties, (as RN's) after I find it ---if you would like.

I hope this helps you understand a little better, our roles as CNMs and nurses. They are separate and distinct.

If you are interested, you can look through some ads for midwives at:

http://www.midwifejobs.com

There are more here:

http://www.salary.com/careers/layouthtmls/crel_searchjob_HC07000229.html

I just searched "certified nurse-midwife" on salary.com and for the national average, median income it said $79,800. Of course, that includes people with a lot of experience that would be getting paid more than a graduate CNM. Florida is apparently notoriously low-paying for nurses in general, I don't know if that translates to CNM's also or not.

OK that generates more questions

1) So, since OB nurses can be RN or LPN, is there such thing as "becoming an OBnurse"? In other words, ok let's say you just graduated from an LPN program, and are ready to start working, whilst at the same time pursuing an RN (which is an associates degree, right?) Could an entry level LPN have a shot at working in the L&D unit in the hosp? Or are those more reserved for RN's?

Yes, an LPN "can" have a "shot" at becoming a labor/delivery nurse, whether pursuing an RN degree or not. But it's not common. In my area, (Seattle) there are VERY few hospitals that use LPNs in a labor/delivery capacity at all. Most use them in Mother-Baby (after delivery), if they use them at all. My best advice is to go straight for your RN if yours is the intention to become a nurse in mother-baby units.

2) On that note, after becoming an RN, suppose you wanted to just go on to get your MSN and decided to do one of those "skip the BSN" programs (I know you aren't *really skipping it, you're just doing it a little quicker) What would you be after you had your MSN? A nurse practitioner? Or is there an exam involved in becoming licensed as a NP? So then you'd be an OB-NP, right? But that's different from a CNM, who would have to have had completed a midwifery program (according to your answers above)..........right?

If you do decide to go for your MSN, having chosen to become a CMN----- you would WANT to find a program that educates CMN students specifically. You can always become both a WHNP (women's health nurse practioner) and CNM, if you chose. Most schools DO ask you to specify a "track" when going for your MSN, so you have to decide if you want to go for both or specifically study to be a CNM. Again, there are people who hold both certifications: NP and CNM. It's really up to you and how much time/money you have to pursue a post-baccalaureate education. There may even be programs that can help you achieve both simultaneously, but I don't know of them. Each is pretty intense, esp in clinical hours you need to spend "learning your trade".

Here is a list of nursing schools nationwide to help you get started finding programs that may interest you:

http://www.allnursingschools.com

GOOD LUCK and hope this helps.

deb

OK that generates more questions

1) So, since OB nurses can be RN or LPN, is there such thing as "becoming an OBnurse"? In other words, ok let's say you just graduated from an LPN program, and are ready to start working, whilst at the same time pursuing an RN (which is an associates degree, right?) Could an entry level LPN have a shot at working in the L&D unit in the hosp? Or are those more reserved for RN's?

2) On that note, after becoming an RN, suppose you wanted to just go on to get your MSN and decided to do one of those "skip the BSN" programs (I know you aren't *really skipping it, you're just doing it a little quicker) What would you be after you had your MSN? A nurse practitioner? Or is there an exam involved in becoming licensed as a NP? So then you'd be an OB-NP, right? But that's different from a CNM, who would have to have had completed a midwifery program (according to your answers above)..........right?

1)I think that part varies from hospital to hospital, but maybe you'll get more feedback from others here. But technically, yes you could get an L&D job after graduating from an LPN program (in places where they hire new grads in their L&D, and if they use LPN's in their L&D). Some places like med-surg experience before letting new grads go to specialty floors. In my town they hire new grads in L&D (LDRP setup) but I think they only use RN's.

2)If you go to a nurse midwifery program for your MSN, you'd be a CNM. I live in Florida, here CNM's are liscensed as "nurse practitioners" but they are still called CNM's. CNM's take an exam by the ACNM (see http://www.acnm.org) for their certification. The closest thing to an "OB-NP" would be a Women's Health Nurse Practitioner (WHNP), who specializes in women's health (does a master's program for WHNP) and does well woman care but does not deliver babies.

Does that help?

Jinx :)

There are some schools that combine things... like Emory has a "Family Nurse Midwife" that educates for both Family Nurse Practitioner and CNM simultaneously (i.e. you could care for the baby & family after it's born).

Yes, You all bring up good points. The wise and truly informed person will check w/his or her State Board of Nursing for definitions/scope of practice for every level of nurse from LPN to CNM/NP/WHNP. It will vary from state to state what that scope is and what your job description would be.

And before you become an LPN w/an aim to be a labor/delivery nurse, check w/the hospitals at which you would likely be employed to see if they do hire LPNs in their OB departments.

http://www.hospitalsoup.com

for a comprehensive list of hospitals in the USA.

One more small point:

Do be aware, there are midwives out there who are NOT nurses. (Certified Midwives or Lay Midwives)