crowdreamer

Hi, I am really new, I haven't even started in the nursing field yet and am considering whether or not to start. I would be changing careers, but I really want to be a nurse-midwife. I love everything about childbirth, it fascinates me, and I think it's my true passion in life. But before I get into nursing school, I have a few questions about midwifery. 1. Was anyone here able to work while going for their CNM certification or MSN degree? My husband doesn't make enough on his own to support both of us and our family while I go to school. 2. Does anyone here have kids? I am 35 years old and trying to get pregnant. I have concerns about the hours of midwives and how that affects the family. 3. The hospitals in my community do not hire midwifes, all OB care is done by OB/GYNs. I could start out as a nurse in L/D, but eventually I would have to work at a birthing center or doing homebirths. This is fine with me, but I'm wondering what kind of money I am looking at making, and if it would be enough to pay back student loans, and whether it would be worth it. Any other advice would be greatly appreciated as well. Thanks, Carrie

Hi, I am really new, I haven't even started in the nursing field yet and am considering whether or not to start. I would be changing careers, but I really want to be a nurse-midwife. I love everything about childbirth, it fascinates me, and I think it's my true passion in life. But before I get into nursing school, I have a few questions about midwifery. 1. Was anyone here able to work while going for their CNM certification or MSN degree? My husband doesn't make enough on his own to support both of us and our family while I go to school. 2. Does anyone here have kids? I am 35 years old and trying to get pregnant. I have concerns about the hours of midwives and how that affects the family. 3. The hospitals in my community do not hire midwifes, all OB care is done by OB/GYNs. I could start out as a nurse in L/D, but eventually I would have to work at a birthing center or doing homebirths. This is fine with me, but I'm wondering what kind of money I am looking at making, and if it would be enough to pay back student loans, and whether it would be worth it. Any other advice would be greatly appreciated as well. Thanks, Carrie

Hi all. I am currently an attorney, wanting to switch careers to become a certified nurse-midwife. I haven't had time to read ALL the responses yet, but just wanted to add my own 2 cents. I went to school for 4 years to get my B.S., then 3 more long years to get my J.D., all the while thinking I was going to make a difference in the world by becoming an environmental attorney. I have spent the past 6 years sitting in an office for sometimes 12 hours a day, bored out of my mind doing paperwork, or in the courtroom getting yelled at by some judge or other attorney, or being yelled at by supervisers. I went to work for the "big firm" making the "big bucks" (a total of $60,000 per year, whoopee), only to spend every minute of my time working with no life on the side, no vacation, little holiday time, and even working on weekends, all to put more money in the hands of greedy corporations. When I decided I didn't want to sell out anymore, I started my own practice, only to find that my clients are the worst bosses of all, and making less than $20,000 a year my first year. In order to make the big $$$ I would have to put in long hours and get no vacation time, not to mention no benefits. I don't know any happy attorneys. I have tried all areas of law, including family law (divorces and custody), personal injury, real estate, government work (very low pay), medical malpractice, the list goes on and on, and I have not found one area where I felt I was actually helping someone. Meanwhile, I have discovered that I have an absolute passion for babies being delivered. And my mom is friends with a nurse who has been practicing for 30-odd years, is paid $80,000 a year +, and works two days a week, in a hospital. So I am going for it. I think the bottom line is, if you have a passion for any career, you will gravitate towards it and find a way to make it work for you. Practicing law really does not fit my personality and I did it mainly on the advice of other people, so I do not enjoy it. But I can imagine that there are people out there who absolutely love going into the courtroom and arguing their case, even despite the long hours, and those same people will probably work their way up to partner and make big bucks too. Those same people probably think I am nuts to give up such a "wonderful" career, but I am going to do what I love and so are they. If you love being a nurse but hate the working conditions, why not go back to school and become a nurse-anesthetologist (sp?), or switch to clinical work? Surely there is someplace for all these trained yet unsatisfied professionals? If not, I agree with other opinions on here--change your career. No use bitching about it. Do something about it, it's never too late.