International nurse asks "Can I be a midwife in the States?'

[Nurse Beth, MSN]

 Congrats on passing the NCLEX! As an RN, you are qualified to practice as an L&D nurse in the state where you hold your RN license.

The MSc in Midwifery in the UK, which you are taking, is a postgraduate program designed to provide nursing professionals with advanced skills and qualifications to practice as midwives in the UK. It is regulated and accredited by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).

Credential Evaluation to Practice as a Midwife in the U.S.

As far as practicing as a Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) in the States, you would need to have your credentials evaluated by a recognized credential evaluation agency. One such agency is the CGFNS (Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools), now called TruMerit. They assess whether your nurse-midwifery education is equivalent to U.S. nursing education standards.

Additional Training/Certification

Suppose your midwifery degree or training from the UK lacks specific components (for example, clinical hours or education). In that case, you may need to complete additional coursework or clinical hours in a U.S.-based Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education (ACME) accredited nurse-midwifery program. This is often the case for international-trained midwives.

Once you meet an ACME-accredited program's clinical and academic requirements, you would be eligible to sit for the AMCB (American Midwifery Certification Board) exam to become a CNM.

State Licensure

After passing the AMCB exam, you must apply for state licensure in the U.S. to practice as a CNM. Each state may have additional requirements for licensing, so you'll need to review the specific state's board of nursing requirements.

Working in L&D

Your RN license qualifies you to work in Labor & Delivery.

Key Points to Consider

• ACME does not evaluate international programs for equivalency, but credentialing agencies like TruMerit may.
• If your UK midwifery degree doesn't meet the ACME standards, you may need additional coursework or clinical training to qualify for the CNM certification exam.
• You may want to contact AMCB and TruMerit directly to inquire about your specific educational background and what additional steps might be required.

Conclusion

To practice as a CNM in the U.S., you need to have your credentials evaluated and may need to complete additional U.S.-based training or education.

As an RN in the States, you are qualified to work in L&D.

Very best wishes and congrats on all your hard work,

Nurse Beth