is going straight from ADN to a CNM program a bad idea?

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Hello! I am about to start my last year of my ADN program at a community college in VA this fall. If all goes well I will graduate Spring of 2015. This summer I am researching BSN programs for ADNs as well as hopefully starting a doula certification.

My question: While looking up different ADN to BSN programs in Virginia, I found the ADN to CNM program at Shenandoah University. Is it a good idea to go straight from an ADN program into a program like this? I have talked to one of my professors and she thinks that ADN students should be in the work force first before they pursue specialties. However, if my research is correct, the website says I would first get my BSN with them, and then go on to get a Masters as a CNM. Your opinions on whether this is a good idea would really be appreciated, or any information on this program would be great too!

I am hopefully going to open houses for this program as well as the other ADN-BSN programs this summer during break. Oh! Also, if it helps, I intend on working as an RN while obtaining my BSN or CNM. I think most ADN to BSN programs want you to have a certain amount of experience or to be working while in the program anyway. Thank you so much for any input you could give me!

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Specializes in Nurse-Midwife.

Taking this route is not much different than graduate entry to RN/MSN/DNP for individuals with non-nursing Bachelor's degrees.

It is a very steep learning curve, though. Only you can decide if this will work for you or not.

A valuable piece of working as an RN is learning about how hospitals and healthcare institutions function. There is SO MUCH that is not taught in nursing school !!! Patient care and nursing skills and assessments are only a part of your role as a nurse. Some would argue that being an RN is not necessary for becoming a skilled CNM - but any nursing knowledge and experience you have will help immensely!

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Thank you for the advice! I really appreciate it!

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I am grateful for my 18 years of experience in the maternal child nursing world. I believe I am getting more out of the graduate school than my classmates wilthout any RN experience since their learning curve is so much steeper than mine. Concepts such as reading the electronic fetal monitor strip creates stress for them and they will take 5-10 minutes to evaluate the strip, where I can glance at it, or even just listen to the heart tones as I walk around the room. Assisting a new mom to breastfeed or pump breast milk is easier for me since I have several thousand hours of patient care experience doing just that. Assessing and acting quickly on a post partum hemorrhage or a shoulder dystocia is less stressful for me since I have been in the situation before. I have seen how many different providers will treat different clinical scenario's and I have learned from them.

Do you have to have worked as an RN to be a good midwife? No, but I am grateful that I have the experience behind me.

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