Practicing in Canada

Specialties CNM

Published

I'm just at the beginning of the process of becoming a midwife (I've applied to direct-entry programs). I was wondering if I wanted to possibly work in Canada, will I be eligible to apply to jobs there with a MSN from an American university, or would I need to get additional qualifications? Going to nursing school in Canada is not an option, as I cannot afford to relocate there without an income. 

Thank you! 

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Specializes in OB.

I'm honestly not sure, but one thing I do know about midwifery in Canada is that it's very different province by province.  In some provinces, midwifery is the normal for all low-risk women and home birth is well integrated into the hospital system, and in others, that's not the case at all.  So you'd have to start by investigating within the province where you want to live in Canada.  I'm guessing you wouldn't be able to transfer American educational qualifications seamlessly, but I am not actually sure about that.

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Specializes in midwifery/women's health.

I just listened to a podcast with a Canadian midwife who studied in the US (Journey to Midwifery) and she was able to transfer her degree but had to take the Canadian qualifying exam. She decided to do the CNM exam as well just in case she ever needed it, but it was not required for her to practice in Canada. She has a practice with one other midwife. The government pays her salary, and she is allowed a certain number of patients per year based on the load they deem appropriate.

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Specializes in School health, Maternal-Newborn.

Decide which provinces you are interested in living in. Some are more protectionist than others, Ontario has a terrible reputation with incoming RNs (Canadian student who attended Northeastern in Boston and was licenced in Massachusetts and had critical care experience was given such a run around by Ontario that she gave up and went to grad school out in BC!) I don't know how it it goes with midwives. Do your research! It may be the best way to practice in Canada is to be educated there. 

Best of luck in any case.

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