job satisfaction?

[bigmona]

I am pursuing nursing with the intent of becoming a CNM. I have decided to go the route where I first get a BSN through an accelerated program, work a few years and gain experience, and go on to get a Master's.

I can't help but be discouraged by the countless posts about how nurses are disrespected by staff, patients, families of patients, the outside world who doesn't have a clue what nursing is all about, etc; how nurses get swallowed in politics; go unappreciated; etc, etc....

I know how naive this will sound, but please tell me midwifery isn't like this. I know everywhere you go, no matter what you do, you'll encounter negative people and bad situations. But honestly, nursing discontent seems so widespread and only seems to be worsening, and I can think of other professions where this just isn't such a big issue.

If someone could give me some perspective, I'd GREATLY appreciate it. I'd be interested to know - were you an RN before becoming a midwife? How do those compare? Do you feel more satisfied with the job, or do you still encounter many of those obstacles plenty of nurses face? What makes it worth it for you?

thanks.

[MidwifeHopeful]

I hope that someone who is a midwife answers you, because I have been trying to find out the same things! I was at a home birth of a friend of mine recently, and the CNM who attended was very encouraging and said that she loves her job. She works with an OB group and delivers at hospitals, birth centers, and at homes. I am also planning to go the accelerated route, hopefully next year. At the home birth, there was a student with the midwife who was in a clinical rotation with that OB group as part of her clinicals in an accelerated program. She told me that it is an incredibly huge amount of work (especially the first year and a half) but she loved the program and had not regrets. I took that to be some positive news, and I hope it will be for you, too.

IS there anyone out there willing to share their thoughts on practicing as a CMN?

[mitchsmom]

Ditto!

What do you like the best? What things would you change if you could about your job? Would you do it all again or chose a different path?