Direct-entry CNM programs

Jolie, BSN · Jun 21, 2008

thank you. I am still a little confused about how this works, but I'll do more research. meanwhile, so i'd still have to spend some time working as an RN and doing general care rather than midwifery care? i'm looking for a path where I don't have to provide care in a field outside of labor/delivery/women's health. so is a direct-entry program to cnm the answer?

During your basic RN education program (whether it is an Associate's Degree, Diploma, Bachelor's Degree or Master's Entry program) you will be required to care for patients of all ages with all conditions in all areas of healthcare from newborn thru geriatric, and conditions ranging from normal wellness exams to ER, to OR, to ICU, to psych. to L&D, etc.

Once you complete your basic nursing education program, you will choose a job that fits your interests such as women's health or obstetrics. When you begin your graduate level studies, you will specialize in the field of your choice, which I gather is nurse-midwifery.

The only way I know to become a midwife without learning about the care of patients across the lifespan is to pursue training as a direct entry midwife, (Certified Professional Midwife) which is a non-nursing profession, and which is not recognized as a licensed healthcare provider in some states.

beckinben, CNM · Jun 22, 2008

thank you. I am still a little confused about how this works, but I'll do more research. meanwhile, so i'd still have to spend some time working as an RN and doing general care rather than midwifery care? i'm looking for a path where I don't have to provide care in a field outside of labor/delivery/women's health. so is a direct-entry program to cnm the answer?

If you go the more traditional route to CNM, where you attend nursing school, receive an RN license, and then continue on to a graduate program in midwifery, most people do choose to work as a RN between the RN program and the CNM program. After you graduate from a RN program (whatever type you may do), you can choose to work only in labor and delivery or a women's services unit and only care for those types of patients.

However, you are, during nursing school (ASN or BSN), going to be caring for all types of patients. Most nursing students spend only one or maybe two clinical experiences in OB, and the rest in other areas of nursing. But let me tell you that the experiences you get in nursing school will absolutely help you when to get into CNM practice. As a CNM, you will still see women who have a variety of medical problems and it helps to have some familiarity with them. For example, I see many women with thyroid issues. I have women with blood clotting disorders in my practice. I see women with migraines, which calls for some experience with neurology. I even diagnosed one of my patients with a seizure disorder after she started having absence seizures during pregnancy. I order and interpret lots of different labwork and imaging/radiology tests. I get all sorts of dermatology questions ("What is this rash?") All these require me to know something about lots of different areas of medicine, not just OB/GYN.

As a CNM, you will be trained to provide primary care for women. Obviously, some practices are more broad in the types of patients you will be required to see than others, but it is to your advantage to not look at caring for patients other than pregnant women (or women in general) as something that you want to avoid. Look at it as a way of gaining experience that may come in handy in the future.

And with regards to the direct entry programs, even in those programs, you will still have the same basic nursing experiences as a student whose goal is a RN license. You will still do med-surg, psych, and other non-OB clinical rotations. That is because, even in a direct entry to CNM program, you will still need to take and pass the NCLEX, and the NCLEX does assume you have some training in all areas of nursing.

jer_sd · Jun 22, 2008

you also have the option to go to NY and recieve your CM. This is a certification by the same board as CNM but for non-RNs. Last I know there was only 1 program, and not recognized in most states.

nsjbm2 · Jun 24, 2008

What kind of nursing experience should I have prior to starting at a CNM program? OB/L&D for how long? Currently have 5 years NICU, looking to move into L&D this summer. Was it difficult to get your clinical sites and requirements with a distance program? I'm leaning towards Frontier. I like their philosophy, history and they seem very student focussed.

smallwonders07 · Jun 27, 2008

thank you all for the advice. It is a little more clear to me. I am leaning towards CPM, but I am still considering CNM. so with the direct-entry program, you don't have to be an RN to be accepted? if not, my understanding is you will be trained to become one once accepted?

LUNISE · Jun 27, 2008

What kind of nursing experience should I have prior to starting at a CNM program? OB/L&D for how long? Currently have 5 years NICU, looking to move into L&D this summer. Was it difficult to get your clinical sites and requirements with a distance program? I'm leaning towards Frontier. I like their philosophy, history and they seem very student focussed.

Hey nsjbm,

Send your email to my pm and I think I can correspond more in detail this way.-Lunise:)

still searching · Jul 6, 2008

not sure where you are but emory has a program bsn/msn that the first 2 years are the bsn nursing and the last year and 1/2 are the masters specialty. It's a seamless course of study. That is in Atlanta

smallwonders07 · Jan 27, 2009

beckinben, i just read your post again and it really helped me better understand the process of becoming a nurse and going on to to be a cnm. Thanks. Is it common place for cnm's to see non-pregnancy related patients? I understand your point about the importance of dealing with other patients, but I don't imagine I'd be happy doing that and am wondering if I would be better off being a cpm.

Bree124, BSN, RN · Jan 28, 2009

Many of the CNMs I know of provide gyn and well-woman care, as well as pregnancy care. Most of the job descriptions I have seen require women's health duties, not just seeing pregnant patients and attending their births. I know of one CNM who ONLY does gyn now, because she was tired of the long call hours involved with catching babies.

smallwonders07 · Jan 28, 2009

Thanks for the advice. I guess it is typical. I guess it isn't so bad. I could learn to like that aspect, especially if it is a break from being on call all the time.

kimiij · Feb 9, 2009

I'm not sure if this was already mentioned but have you taken a look at the Yale CNM program?

It's a three year program where in the first year you take nursing classes and then in your last two years you take specialty midwifery classes.

Here is the link:

http://nursing.yale.edu/Academics/GEPN/

This is what you would call a Graduate-Entry or Master's Entry Program. I have also seen it called Direct Entry as well, not to be confused with direct entry midwifery.

This is one that I am applying to right now for the nurse-midwifery specialty. No Pre-reqs are needed and you don't need to be a nurse before you apply for the program. I would check it out :) There are others *similar* to it (not exactly the same but similar).

cookderosa · Feb 14, 2009

I'm not sure if this was already mentioned but have you taken a look at the Yale CNM program?
It's a three year program where in the first year you take nursing classes and then in your last two years you take specialty midwifery classes.
Here is the link:
http://nursing.yale.edu/Academics/GEPN/
This is what you would call a Graduate-Entry or Master's Entry Program. I have also seen it called Direct Entry as well, not to be confused with direct entry midwifery.
This is one that I am applying to right now for the nurse-midwifery specialty. No Pre-reqs are needed and you don't need to be a nurse before you apply for the program. I would check it out :) There are others *similar* to it (not exactly the same but similar).

:bugeyes: WOW! That's $120,000!