Nurse-Midwifery- finding program fit

[gatorem, BSN, RN]

Hello,

I am a nursing student and planning to nurse-midwifery upon graduation. When looking for the appropriate nurse-midwifery program, without travelling all across the country, is there a way to search for a program that is less medical than others? I guess what I want to say is that I hope to be a homebirth midwife, I would look like the most natural approach to care while still assuring safety of mother and baby. Is there a way to research schools that follow these ideals?

[babyNP., APRN]

The vast majority of CNMs practice in hospitals. If you want to be a home birth midwife, you'll get more practice with that with the CPM route, although it's not legal to practice in all states so it would depend on where you like to practice.

[LibraSunCNM, BSN, MSN, CNM]

It's true that the vast majority of CNMs work in hospitals, but homebirth CNMs are definitely out there (thankfully!). I had the privilege of doing my integration in midwifery school with a homebirth CNM, and it was a life-changing experience. I would say the best way to feel out a program's level of comfort with supporting normal, physiologic birth would be to have conversations with the program directors, either before applying or during admission interviews. One program that I know would probably meet your needs would be Frontier Nursing University, although it is competitive and also a distance program, which may or may not suit you. Here is a list of all of the current midwifery programs in the U.S. with their directors' contact info:

Midwifery Education Programs - ACNM

However, even if right now you think you want to go into homebirth, I would encourage you to keep an open mind and be willing to do clinicals in settings where you might not necessarily want to work as a midwife, to broaden your horizons and see more of a full spectrum of what midwives are doing out in the trenches. It can only enrich your perspective and skill set.

[gatorem, BSN, RN]

I am aware that most CNM's practice in the hospital, however in my state CPM's are not licensed and I do not have a desire to practice as a CPM. CNM's are in high demand for out of hospital birth.

[gatorem, BSN, RN]

Yes, I definitely want to see a full scope of midwifery and see what is the best option for me, even if I say homebirth now. BUT, I still want to see it. I have attended homebirths as a doula, but that is different than being the actual primary caregiver.

[LibraSunCNM, BSN, MSN, CNM]

It is definitely different. I'll be forever thankful for my homebirth experience as a student, it definitely led me to make the choice for myself when I gave birth.

I was lucky enough to be placed with a homebirth preceptor who had malpractice insurance, however it's very common for midwives to go without it. This, I have found, is a big hurdle students have to leap sometimes to find a homebirth CNM preceptor. If you can't find a preceptor with malpractice insurance, generally your school will not allow you to work with them. Just my experience.

[gatorem, BSN, RN]

Where did you attend, LibraSunCNM?