can you really tell the difference?

Specialties Ob/Gyn

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Hi everyone, I am new to this board and have a few questions. I will be starting clinicals in the fall 04 for my BSN and would love to become a Midwife in the future. Is a CNM without previous rn experience really that more noticable than a CNM with LD experience? Is it possible to become a successful CNM without a year of LD? Also, there are schools that dont require previous experience (Emory, , Marquette U....) does that mean that they give adequate clinical experience to become a good midwife? thanks for any replies

Specializes in NICU.

Not an L&D nurse or a CNM, but I just wonder why in the world you'd want to rush into having that huge amount of responsibility without taking at least a year to work as an RN and get some L&D experience??? JMHO.

There is a difference, more noticeable as a new CNM. I would not use a CNM that was fresh from school and hadn't done any L&D prior to the CNM program. There is a reason that most schools require the experience.

I love Nurse Practitioners, and have a great respect for them. But there is no way that I would consider ever being treated by one who went directly into a program without first having at least one year work experience.

Before you graduate, you may have your specialty picked out and have decided that is what you are going to do for the rest of your life, and guess what? It can definitely change once you actually start working. As anyone on this board can tell you, your learning curve just begins when you get your RN and start working. To miss out on that experience is crazy. What you learn in doing an assesment when you are in school on one patient, or perhaps three for the shift, is nothing what it is like in the real world of nursing. You really need to experience it for yourself.

:balloons:

Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

I agree w/the above posts. As to difference? I would not know; none of the CNM's I have worked with went into midwifery w/o some years' experience as RN's first. NOT ONE. That may indicate something.....

But if you plan to go into direct-entry midwifery, or lay midwifery, that is another career path altogether, not same as CNM. It's up to you.

Hi, thanks for the quick replies! I Do plan on getting experience and working as a L&D nurse (Gomper), I just want to know was there really a big difference because of the number of schools that dont require experience( I just named a few). And also alot of Ppl (nurses) say dont stop(school) because once you start working, its really hard to go back, which that has never been the case with me, but I never worked in nursing so I dont know. I always plan ahead and now I am just weighing my options.

There is a difference, more noticeable as a new CNM. I would not use a CNM that was fresh from school and hadn't done any L&D prior to the CNM program. There is a reason that most schools require the experience.

Yep. L&D is a lot more than most people realize. You need to learn to be the nurse before you become the midwife, IMO.

I had a CNM deliver my last baby and she was wonderful. She was also a L&D nurse for 15 years and my nurse during labor with my first child. Her co-workers and the OB/Gyn docs encouraged her to become a midwife and not only did these docs partner with her in practice but they totally support her and her role in the community. I'm not sure that would have happened if she did not have experience beforehand.

Just something to think about....

Gator

I also wanted to throw in that the reason that I felt so comfortable with her and had a satisfying experience is because she was (unlike doctors) willing to take the time to educate me about the pregnancy, breastfeeding, nutrition etc...and I think that was directly a result of being a great nurse.

Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

SHAY SHAY SHAY!!!!!!!!!

hey everyone shay is back?

how HAVE YOU BEEN????? I HAVE MISSED YA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! woot!

Really, there is no substitute for experience. Every birth is different, which makes L&D a challenging field. I would recommend that you get the experience first. Experience is one of the factors for your success.

Good luck in your endeavors! :)

SHAY SHAY SHAY!!!!!!!!!

hey everyone shay is back?

how HAVE YOU BEEN????? I HAVE MISSED YA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! woot!

I had me a young 'un. :D Can I just say, epidurals are a gift from God when your hips are splitting in two in labor? :chuckle

Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

woot congratulations my friend! details, details!

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