CNM School

Specialties CNM

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Specializes in medical/surgical ICU, L&D.

Hi All,

So, I have officially applied to my local College's graduate school to continue towards my MSN in Midwifery. I am so excited to see what comes next. However, I did want to hop on here and see if I could get some advice..

I have one year of combined bedside experience from adult ICU and LTC. Long story short, I never wanted to be in those specialties, I have always wanted women's health and L&D. I interviewed one time for a position and didn't get an offer. These jobs have been little to none in my area and honestly, I am not one to stay in a position that I do not want to be in. My goal has been to become a CNM even before starting nursing school but I thought my year of experience may help anyways when it comes to clinicals and such. I have been in contact with the program director and she said they accept typically everyone who meets their requirements - the requirements only being a BSN, three recommendations (can be professors/instructors, Work, etc), and a personal statement & resume and lastly an interview with her. They require no nursing experience for this program and have directly admitted such students from just graduating with their BSN. I know I meet these requirements.

However, I can't help but worry that I will not be hired as a new grad CNM. I know this is far away but I always have anxiety about that kind of stuff. After I get the decision from the school whether or not I will be admitted, I was thinking of resigning my current ICU PRN job. I am not satisfied because it is not what I want to do, and truly it will not help me with my future career as they are different specialties. I have appreciated everything that I have learned and experienced. I know this experience will help me communicate with patients in clinical as well. But is it necessary to keep a job you don't want/need and/or feel satisfied with? And do you think this will hinder my job prospects if I have a 2 year unemployment gap from being in grad school? 

Any advice is appreciated! Thanks!

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Specializes in OB.

I don't think you need to keep your ICU job while you're in school; one, because you don't like it, and two, because if you're able to not work and totally focus on school, you'll get more out of it.  I don't think it will hinder your job prospects to quit--as you mentioned above, your prospective program, and more and more programs across the country, accept students with no RN experience at all as direct-entry students, so it's not unusual for a new grad CNM not to have women's health nursing experience.  There are SOME employers who are looking for CNMs with L&D nursing experience, but I haven't found it to be particularly far and wide.  Job prospects honestly depend mostly on your geographical area, and the networking you are able to do as a student, IME.

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Specializes in medical/surgical ICU, L&D.
53 minutes ago, LibraSunCNM said:

I don't think you need to keep your ICU job while you're in school; one, because you don't like it, and two, because if you're able to not work and totally focus on school, you'll get more out of it.  I don't think it will hinder your job prospects to quit--as you mentioned above, your prospective program, and more and more programs across the country, accept students with no RN experience at all as direct-entry students, so it's not unusual for a new grad CNM not to have women's health nursing experience.  There are SOME employers who are looking for CNMs with L&D nursing experience, but I haven't found it to be particularly far and wide.  Job prospects honestly depend mostly on your geographical area, and the networking you are able to do as a student, IME.

Thank you so much for your response! Luckily, in my area (ohio), I have not come across any job postings that mention specifically L&D experience, if anything they say new grads are welcome. So, this is a benefit for me. I think the part that freaks me out is if I have a big unemployment gap or short employments.

Do you think past RN jobs will even matter when I apply for CNM ones as a new grad? Who do you typically interview with (another midwife, MD, etc)? I would hope that someone who goes to school to be a CNM would show dedication by doing just that despite having different past RN jobs.. but I may be wrong.

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Specializes in OB.
6 hours ago, SimpliFutureCNM said:

Do you think past RN jobs will even matter when I apply for CNM ones as a new grad?

Yes, in that any past experience matters, because it's part of the whole picture of you as a provider.  ICU experience means you have sharp assessment and time management skills, for example, so even though it's not L&D it's something you can bring to the table from that experience.   

Who do you typically interview with (another midwife, MD, etc)?

Usually you interview first with the lead midwife, then if that goes well, some other members of the team--if that is a team that includes MDs, I'm sure they'd be part of it, as well as other CNMs.

I would hope that someone who goes to school to be a CNM would show dedication by doing just that despite having different past RN jobs.. but I may be wrong.

Sorry, I don't know what this last statement means?

 

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Specializes in medical/surgical ICU, L&D.
8 minutes ago, LibraSunCNM said:

 

What I meant by my last statement is - if someone decides to go to school to specialize in a particular field, like Midwifery, I would hope that would show some type of dedication to the interviewer about their passion for that specialty regardless of their past experience as an RN or Lack of experience. If that makes sense. 
 

I, myself, have only work for a year. About half ICU and half LTC thus far. Speaking with the program director she mentioned RN experience is usually not a factor when it comes to searching/obtaining CNM jobs as they are completely different roles and specialties (depending where). Of course employers may think otherwise. I understand where you are coming from though with the assessment skills that an ICU RN must have and it could benefit me!

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Specializes in OB.
1 hour ago, SimpliFutureCNM said:

What I meant by my last statement is - if someone decides to go to school to specialize in a particular field, like Midwifery, I would hope that would show some type of dedication to the interviewer about their passion for that specialty regardless of their past experience as an RN or Lack of experience. If that makes sense. 
 

I, myself, have only work for a year. About half ICU and half LTC thus far. Speaking with the program director she mentioned RN experience is usually not a factor when it comes to searching/obtaining CNM jobs as they are completely different roles and specialties (depending where). Of course employers may think otherwise. I understand where you are coming from though with the assessment skills that an ICU RN must have and it could benefit me!

Ah, gotcha.  Yes, that makes sense and I agree.  I really don't think you'll find too many employers who will completely turn their noses up at a new grad with ICU and LTC nursing experience, it's still valuable (and if they do, screw them! ?).

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Specializes in oncology.
On 11/3/2021 at 4:45 PM, SimpliFutureCNM said:

Speaking with the program director she mentioned RN experience is usually not a factor when it comes to searching/obtaining CNM jobs as they are completely different roles and specialties (depending where)

Not trying to start a fight...but why would (if they do) a program require you to be an RN? Or do they accept students for a CNM program with out an RN?

Just curious/

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Specializes in medical/surgical ICU, L&D.
2 minutes ago, londonflo said:

Not trying to start a fight...but why would (if they do) a program require you to be an RN? Or do they accept students for a CNM program with out an RN?

Just curious/

All programs (at least that I know of) require you to have your RN license. Having your license vs experience being an RN is different with each school and each program. Most CNM programs do not require you to have RN experience, however, most Acute Care NP programs (if not all) require you to have at least one year of ICU RN experience. Even though I have one year of experience as an RN, she mentioned the experience is not needed to apply to the program, but having the license is required. I hope that answers your question.. 

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Specializes in OB.

Yes, exactly.  You have to be an RN to become a CNM, but you do not have to have *worked* as an RN to become a CNM.

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Specializes in medical/surgical ICU, L&D.
On 11/10/2021 at 12:55 PM, LibraSunCNM said:

 

I have a quick question for you. So, as it turns out the L&D position that I had interviewed for early October wants to offer me the full time nights position now... I am in a dilemma because I obviously applied to CNM school and now have my school interview in a week and a half. I cannot work full time nights and go to school full time. Do you think this is an experience I should not pass up on? or do you think I will be fine without it? This unit is a LDRP and will be renovating 2 floors in the near future so they will have 3 separate floors for Labor/delivery, PP, and a specialty care nursery in which they will use the nurses they have to staff and hire new. In your experience, should I go for it and wait for my CNM or should I just continue with my schooling? 

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Specializes in OB.

That's a tough one.  I can see the appeal of getting all that nursing experience first and putting midwifery school on pause.  But there's also something to be said for just pushing through school to get to your goal that much faster.  How old are you?  What's your family situation?  How do you do with night shift?

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Specializes in medical/surgical ICU, L&D.
1 minute ago, LibraSunCNM said:

That's a tough one.  I can see the appeal of getting all that nursing experience first and putting midwifery school on pause.  But there's also something to be said for just pushing through school to get to your goal that much faster.  How old are you?  What's your family situation?  How do you do with night shift?

I am only 23 (I know super young LOL) so honestly time isn’t an issue. I guess now that I think about it, a year to just experience the specialty itself is not a bad thing to do especially with how young I am I have plenty of time. I have worked nights since I graduated last year so it’s not a huge deal. And I only have a husband, no kids thus far!  

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