no midwife jobs here

[Nurse_cox]

Hi all! I am applying to FNP program at Frontier but would also like to apply to CNM. If I could do anything in nursing i would become a CNM, but I'm afraid my job options would be limited by applying to this specialty instead of a degree like the FNP where there are a broad range of job options. I live in a small town and I'm not sure I'd be able to find a job as a new grad midwife. I'm very torn and want to make sure I'm going the correct career path. (Just some background info...I've been an RN for 12 years. I almost started out in post-partum as a new grad but chose to go the ICU route so that I would be more marketable. Many times I have tried to transfer to L&D or post-partum but it didn't seem like a wise choice because I would've been giving up my seniority and switching to night shift. So, I haven't worked L&D but I've always been drawn there. Also, I used a midwife for my 2 pregnancies) Any advice???

[lhflanurseNP, APRN]

The local health department in my small county utilizes CNMs for the pregnancy follow-through. Some patients opt for home birth and utilize outside CNMs as well. You may want to see about doing a survey in your area to assess the openness of CNMs in your community.

[babyNP., APRN]

Well, we don't know where you live, so we can't help you figure out if there is a market for new grad CNMs...what kind of advice are you looking for?

[Nurse_cox]

Am I correct to assume that it is much easier to find a job as a fnp versus a midwife? I live in a small town in eastern NC. Also, can an fnp do anything ob related? Or just gyn?

[TriChick]

CNM popularity varies greatly by location. For example: I'm in Eastern Georgia and there are virtually no CNMs here. It's a very doctor-heavy community (we have a large medical school here) and CNMs aren't utilized from what I've seen. Very different from what you might see on the West Coast or other parts of the country.