Future CNMs

Specialties CNM

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Just thought it would be kind of nice to get a little chat going. I know there are a couple of us who are CNM wannabes buthave worries too. My biggest concern is . Hopefully something will be done soon. I don't mind the schedule.

For me it is a calling. Everything about OB/gyn is fascinating to me. I am also really supportive of the midwifery model of care and its affect on both mother and baby. Countries who use the mw model of care have lower infant mortality rates. Even in the US, where we ranked around 40 last year-- not good, when adjusted for the fact drs had higher risk pts, mw's had lower infant mortality rates in the first year. I don't like the MD care for low risk pgs.

Does anyone know if cnm's every work for the hospital and do shift work?

So what are your worries, hopes and why do you want to be (or are you) a CNM.

One of us should draft up a letter that could be sent to each school so that we are clear on what we are asking. What do you think?

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Mitchsmom,

I live about an hour north of Atlanta. What city does your dad work in?

I can be hard getting in the loop. Partly because most of those who are not currently CNM's or students are more "interested" than "intent". A lot of specialty areas feel that screening helps keep the associations and societies professional.

On one hand, I can completely understand that line of thinking. On the other, I think that thought process could easily keep fabulous people from entering the profession due to lack of information or lack of feeling wanted.

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Specializes in OB, lactation.

Alyssa, I pm'd you.

Cheers,

Anna

PS...CNM2b & ayndim, if either of you makes a letter for inquiries please pass it on, I'll let you know if I get more than 2 minutes at the time here on the computer to do one ;)

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Specializes in many.

And so it goes on...

I have planned to attend East Carolina University for my MSN/CNM. I looked at the Emory FNP/CNM program but decided against it, since I am really only interested in women's health. I know Emory has a CNM program also but I have other stuff pushing me toward ECU.

I also looked at the Frontier program, but my CNM was very clear that she would not be interested in being a proctor for another student for clinicals since the last one had no nursing experience, and had to be taught everything from the ground up. It was very draining on her.

Please be aware everyone that the Boston University program is VERY expensive, and the CNM there is in conjunction with an MPH program, so if you are interested in teaching someday it is probably not the route for you.

ECU offers more than 80% of it's courses toward the CNM/MSN online and they encourage nurses to start collecting credits before they have completed the 2 years requested for full time enrollment. If you read the small print in the graduate packet it does say that instate tuition waivers are occasionally available, so I hope they will grant me one and I can start with a course in January after I finish this BSN.

I am getting so excited about my last semester, I can't believe it's here!!! I have vowed to get all the excitement out this summer while I am not doing ANYTHING for school, so I can buckle down and crank out that 30-50 page paper that means the end. Our public health quarter holds the distinct honor of being the most horrifying rotation because of that paper.

My OB rotation was alright. I managed to get out of half of it because of my experience as an LPN and my ability to prove I had some information in my skull that I could pull up for the pre-test. I refused to watch a circ, but the professor was okay with that when I explained why ( med students botched my son's circ about 5 years ago, but he is fine). Sometimes I wish I hadn't cut out of half of it, since I was only in on one delivery then did lots of post-partum teaching and assessments.

We had a 34 weeker walk in at 8 cm with twins and no time to send her into town (Boston) for the delivery. She delivered the female twin lady partslly, then they had to do a C/S for the boy, since the uterus seemed to forget it was carrying two placentas and tried to do it's nice clamping down job with him still inside. Anyone heard of this?

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Specializes in many.

Anyone else a member?

I was at national convention in June and forgot to ask before I went to see if I could hook up with any allnurses addicts there?

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Specializes in OB, lactation.

...convention, was it in Tampa? Had I known that, I maybe would have tried to go, at least for a day... it's only 1.5hrs from me, as a matter of fact we just returned from spending the night at st. pete beach. Can't blab like usual, need to put things away and get kids to bed, etc. Just had to make my rounds on the computer real quick :)

Anyway, tell us about the convention!

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Specializes in many.

Incredible!

More than 2400 women's health nurses together for 5 days + of learning and meeting and greeting.

I met so many managers that tried to recruit me it wasn't even funny. Definitely the way to go for networking.

They offered over 100 ceu workshops and meetings, from basics like labor support to managing antepartum while mom is being treated for major medical problems and there were workshops about future care and technology too.

If you are interested in going into women's health, it is the organization to belong to. I got a student membership from my parents for Christmas last year and they hook me up with all kinds of local meetings. Great way to network locally.

Well worth it!

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Okay I have done my bio final and just have chem left for the semester (Yippee) so has anyone done the letter? How do you want to divy it up?

Maybe something along the lines of.

Dear Sir or Madam:

I am inquiring about your Certified Nurse-Midwife Program in order to post the information on a information board for nurses, allnurses.com. It would be helpful if you could answer the following questions.

1. Do you offer a distance learning program?

2. If you do offer a distance learning program, are there any residential requirements? What are the residential requirements?

3. Are all classes available by distance learning? Is it internet or media based?

4. Does the student need to be licensed as an RN in the state of the school?

5. How are clinicals handled? Do you have lists of CNM's who are willing to preceptor a student? If not, what are the requirements of the preceptor CNM?

6. Do you offer MSN or certificate/diploma?

7. What is the time frame required for completing the studies? Do you have part-time options?

8. Is there any other information that you feel would be helpful to future students?

Thank you for your time,

Signed

What do you think? Anything you want to add or delete?

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Specializes in OB, lactation.

That looks great Andrea! More than I would have thought of :) I think the ACNM site lists whether they offer MSN or certificate/diploma, but it may be good to get a current answer anyway.

Ok, I am looking at the ACNM lists now... they link them via type master's or certificate. Are any of you interested in certificate, or just master's? I am under the impression that it is pretty much going the way of master's and I'm only interested in that myself. I'll do either way but I figured it would narrow it down if everyone was interested in a particular thing.

Here's the page:

http://www.midwife.org/edu/schools.cfm

There are 40 schools on the master's page (I left off the Puerto Rico one that said it isn't accepting new students).

There are 4 more on the certificate page, so I guess it doesn't add much more anyway :)

That gives us 14 or 15 each if there are 3 of us.

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That looks great Andrea! More than I would have thought of :) I think the ACNM site lists whether they offer MSN or certificate/diploma, but it may be good to get a current answer anyway.

Ok, I am looking at the ACNM lists now... they link them via type master's or certificate. Are any of you interested in certificate, or just master's? I am under the impression that it is pretty much going the way of master's and I'm only interested in that myself. I'll do either way but I figured it would narrow it down if everyone was interested in a particular thing.

Here's the page:

http://www.midwife.org/edu/schools.cfm

There are 40 schools on the master's page (I left off the Puerto Rico one that said it isn't accepting new students).

There are 4 more on the certificate page, so I guess it doesn't add much more anyway :)

That gives us 14 or 15 each if there are 3 of us.

I am only interested in master's but I thought we could assemble the info and post it as a sticky (not sure how to do that). Then it would be there for future reference.

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Hello all,

I am also a future CNM. I am currently in my BSN program now and working as a RN already as I have my ADN. I am looking into either Frontier or University of Philadelphia. Both of these are online and that is the only way I could do a CNM program as we don't have any here in San Antonio.

The only thing I am worried about is that here in San Antonio there are only about 5-6 CNMs in practice and I am worried that I won't have a job after I graduate and get my CNM degree. The job market just doesn't look too appealing right now, but hopefully it will get better.

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Specializes in OB, lactation.

RN2CNM, welcome! What aspects made you decide U of P or Frontier? Did you also consider Stonybrook? I'm glad you posted, I did not know that U of P was also an option for those of us who will need a distance option. My cousin's ex wife went to Frontier (probably 10 years ago), I haven't talked to her in years but one of these days I'd like to call her and talk to her about her job, and her experience w/ Frontier.

I am in the same boat as you are about CNM's in my area.. except there are NO CNM's in my small town. The physician's board at the hospital(s) has effectively kept them from delivering so far. I think we have two doing prenatals and gyn care but that's it. There seem to be a good number in most metro areas in Fl though, from what I can tell.

Would you consider moving from San Antonio in order to practice when the time comes?

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