[yeshualova]

I posted a couple msgs earlier on different boards pertaining to how I would like to go into midwifery but without my four years studying biology in undergrad being in vain. What is the difference between a midwife just out of a midwifery program and a CNM? Somebody please spread the knowledge? Do they get paid differently? Or is it just that a CNM knows a plethora of other nursing "stuff?" Enlighten me please!

[tfergycnm]

yeshualova:
The difference btw a "direct-entry/lay" midwife (LM) and nurse-midwife(CNM) is:

CNM's are RN who have completed accredited nurse-midwifery education programs, passed a national certification exam, and met other requirements for certification by the American college of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) or the ACNM Certification Council. Most have master's or higher degrees, mostly in nursing. CNM's practice legally in every US jurisdiction.

Lay & Direct-Entry Midwives
Lay midwifery connotes domiciliary (ie Home birth) practice and informal training that is founded in experience. Direct-Entry implies that the person went into midwifery withour first bring trained as a nurse.

Hope this helps -- This info was taken from Midwifery & Childbirth in America (Judith Pence Rooks)

tfergycnm

[mitchsmom]

I would say that CNM's generally make more money than LM's, CPM's, etc. As was previously written, CNM's tend to work in hospitals, often in partnership with OB/GYN's, some in freestanding birthing centers, CPM's/LM's tend to work in freestanding birthing centers or homebirth settings. CNM's can offer well-woman care (PAP, STD exams, etc.) and sometimes are trained in some other office procedures as well. *Some* CNM's are more "medicalized" than CPM's/LM's (as opposed to a more "natural' birth model of care, for example frequently using Pitocin for induction/augmentation, etc. etc., *some* CPM's/LM's are more "earthy-birthy"- these are generalizations, I am just reporting the differences or often *percieved* differences as I often read, I am not there yet so this isn't my opinion. Obviously everyone is an individual and there is a broad spectrum of beliefs and practices).

CPM's (they are non-nurses) take the NARM exam:
http://narm.org/
MEAC accredits programs for CPM's:
http://www.meacschools.org/
MEAC approved schools for CPM's:
http://www.meacschools.org/programs/programs.html

CNM's (they are RN nurses who go to grad school for CNM) take a board exam through ACNM:
http://acnm.org/
The ACNM midwifery education page:
http://www.midwife.org/edu/
ACNM approved schools:
http://www.midwife.org/edu/schools.cfm

HTH