Poll: L&D nurses, is CNM worth it?????

[misstreviRN]

I am a new graduate labor and delivery nurse who had the hopes of going back to school to be a nurse midwife, however since I started working I have talked with fellow L&D nurses and most of them say they will never become a midwife because they are limited (can't do sections if an emergency arrive- shoulder dystocia, prolapse etc.), and it makes more since to go to medical school. For me, one- medical school takes a while, and two I didnt want to have to work so so much (granted I know CNM's take call and work a lot also). So what is your opinion overlooking CNM's practice? Thank you in advance.

[MalgaBSN]

It depends on what your drive is. I plan on going back to school for my CNM because I plan to work with healthy pregnant women and their families. I believe in the midwifery model. Yes-- if you have to transfer a patient you can't do a c-section, but most good midwives have very low transfer rates and very low c-section rates (the ones I worked with in the past had a 3% transfer/c-section rate). I recommend doing some reading: Pushed by Jennifer Block and Birth: The Surprising History of how we are Born are good starts (these are good reads even if you don't go on to CNM school). I would also suggest finding a CNM to shadow in a freestanding birth center or homebirth practice-- this will give you a very different perspective.