CNM2B

Congrats everyone! Frontier Bound is amazing! Enjoy!

Yes, the roll call is for current students. We have to check in to each course within the first 2 days of each term.

Hi everyone! I'm a current Frontier student and thought I'd hop in and say hi. Don't stress--I remember when I was accepted that we didn't find out until exactly 6 weeks before Frontier Bound. Hang in there! It's worth the wait!

I'm also a Frontier student and can't speak highly enough about it! As a pp stated, the history and tradition are unmatched. You truly feel like you are joining a family when you come to Frontier. I know that the campus visits seem daunting, but they serve several purposes. First, they help you feel connected to the school and fellow classmates, which you'll find is very important. Secondly, the in person teaching you get at Clinical Bound is essential (in my opinion) to being a competent provider in clinicals. Learning the cardinal maneuvers of birth, sewing tears, performing complete assessments (including pelvic exams) are all things I'd much rather do the first few times in a classroom environment under the watchful eye of an experienced instructor. I can't imagine doing all of those things the very first time on a patient in a stressful situation. But that's just my opinion. I don't go to clinical bound until spring, but I'm so excited to attend based on all I've heard from others. They say you learn so much from our faculty that will stay with you through your career.So, just a few thoughts. Finally, check the tuition totals for all the schools you're considering. Several of them are extremely expensive (twice as much or more than others).Best of luck!!

Hi All! It's been a quiet thread lately, so I thought I'd bump us up to the top again! How is everyone doing? I'm still working on my MS in nursing (Nurse-Midwifery), but have definitely found my passion in research. I've been invited to be a research assistant on a really cool NIH-funded project that deals with maternal/fetal health. I'm so excited! My advisor (who is also the chair of my program) is pushing me to go into the PhD program. I WANT to do it, but I'm just afraid to jump in. Does that make sense? My husband has his PhD and he is highly amused by my wishy-washiness (if that's a word) over the matter. How are the current PhD students doing? Did you all earn your MS or MSN first, or did you sort of merge into the PhD program with your MS? Hope you are all doing well!

I work for Ohio Health, and I'm pretty sure that the starting hourly rate is $23.21 (that could be off by a few cents, but that's pretty close). Shift differential is $4.75 and weekend differential is also $4.75. Hope that helps!

Hi Everyone! I have been reading this thread with interest and thought I'd drop in and say hello. I'm currently an MSN student working to become a CNM/WHNP. I also work part-time as an L&D nurse. The last few months at work and school, I've been thinking strongly about applying to the PhD program. I am a student at a large research institution, so it offers a strong PhD program and happens to also have a research focus in maternal/child nursing (which would be my area of interest). My advisor jumped when I suggested I might like to apply for the PhD program and seemed to imply that it would be an easy transition. I am realizing more and more that my real interest lies in the research behind my practice. I'm always questioning our practice and wondering why we do things the way we do them. I've always been interested in that, but it's becoming abundantly clear that this is where my true passion in women's health actually exists. So I'm strongly leaning toward exploring this option and hopefully going forward with that. Anway, best of luck to you all and I'm excited to read that there are others out there with similar goals!

So far in my experience working in L&D, those restrictions are really only applied to women who are receiving interventions in their labor (or having an issue with fetal heart tones). A healthy woman who is in spontaneous labor without medication (Pit or pain meds) does not necessarily need to stay on the monitor continuously and can definitely get up to use the restroom. Even if she is on the monitor, she can sit on a birthing ball or in a rocking chair (or stand at the bedside) if that is more comfortable for her. Women on the monitor can also get up to use the restroom (it is an easy thing to disconnect the monitor for a few minutes and reconnect when they get back to bed). If she chooses an epidural, then yes she has to be confined to bed with continuous monitoring (she becomes a fall risk) and will need to be straight-cathed periodically. Not only will she be unable to walk to the bathroom, but she most likely will not feel the urge to void (a full bladder will impede the labor process). This is where an L&D nurse can make a great deal of impact--regular and creative position changes can really help with labor progression. I've learned some great tips on how to facilitate the decent of a baby who is posterior or still really high, or for a woman who is not dilating--all with position changes. Again, these aren't textbook ideas, they were taught to me by nurses with years of experience.

Now THAT is very true. I find myself in the minority a lot of the time and do have moments where I am appalled/shocked/stunned/saddened at some of the routines on a L&D unit. I try to extrapolate the good stuff and remember the bad for when I'm in a position to make some changes.

I agree with you and believe that everyone who becomes a CNM with some sort of life-experience (which we all have!) brings something valuable to the table. However, I do have to say that experience as an L&D nurse (or any type of nurse, for that matter) is a lot more than simply going through the motions of assisting with delivery. I worked as an RN in critical care for several years and have now spent 6 months in L&D. I now see that intangible strength that experience can bring--those gut feelings that can't be learned from a textbook or during clinical experiences. Those wise nurses I work with who have done it for years and years give me a ton of insight that I am so grateful to get--insight learned from years on the job and assisting with thousands of births. Insight that I am slowly developing on my own as well. Although the holistic approach to midwifery is SO IMPORTANT, at that moment when I experience my first shoulder dystocia or other emergency, I'm going to go back into this current experience for strength. And while strip reading isn't so important when you are in a birth-center or assisting with home births (since women aren't continuously monitored), it is super important in a hospital setting. Learning to read strips is, again, an artfrom that takes years to master. The basics can be learned in a few days, but the experienced nurses can look at a strip and tell a whole lot more about the labor than is initially apparent to a new nurse. I have a year-and a-half until I finish my CNM program and I am SO GRATEFUL for this time working on L&D. I'm certainly not saying that it should be a requirement, but it also shouldn't be discounted as a valuable tool.

I'm very excited for you! I can't directly speak to the demand for male CNM's, but I can put you in touch with someone who might offer perspective? Ohio State's Nurse-Midwifery program is chaired by a man, and he's doing great things with the program and taking it in new directions (he's only had that position for about a year now). If you PM me, I'd be happy to share his contact information with you. Best wishes!!

You will definitely need to refer back to statistics while in grad school. You'll take a research course and a theory course at the minimum, and I've used my stats in a few other graduate level courses as well. Basic statistics like p-values and t-tests don't change, so a statistics book is a great reference to have on the shelf for a quick review! I also use my statistics book to assist in paper-writing and research critiques. Sadly (or not, if you like stats!), it will be a big part of your graduate nurse-midwifery program. Also, depending on where you do your graduate program, there is a very good chance you'll be required to take another (graduate level) statistics class. Good luck--statistics has a bad reputation, but it really isn't as bad as people like to claim!

Are you planning to apply to a graduate entry program (an MS in nursing with a specialization in midwifery for non-nurses with a BA or BS in a non-nursing field), or get your RN and then apply to a CNM program? From what I understand, prior birth experience isn't really expected from applicants to the grad entry programs. Grades and class diversity (a variety of academic backgrounds) seem very important. Depending on the state you live in, another option is the CM (Certified Midwife). The CM is accreditedy by the ACNM (American College of Nurse-Midwives) just like the CNM, but is designed as a route into midwifery for non-nurses (applicants must have a BA or BS and have certain prereqs finished). They have the same scope of practice and licensure process, but they aren't nurses. A handful of states are currently licensing CM's and I believe that will increase. I just read in the ACNM newsletter 'Quickening' that Phildelphia University was just accredited to begin a distance CM program starting this fall. That might be another option to consider! Good luck on your journey!

I don't have specific experience with Vanderbilt's program, but I do know that the ACNM (American College of Nurse-Midwives), which is the accrediting body for CNM programs is very strict regarding academic standards for their programs. So, Vanderbilt would have to follow the rules set forth by the ACNM. I'm sure that anyone who graduates from their nurse-midwifery program would be well-qualified. Are you wanting to provide primary care to the whole family, or just women? A CNM is qualified to provide primary care to her patients throughout their lifespan, so if you are only planning to see female patients in that type of setting, you don't need to have the FNP certification (if you don't want to get it right away). Good luck!

Yes, you can be admitted with less than a 3.0, but you must maintain a 3.0 to stay in school.

Just as an FYI--the 3.0 requirement is standard minimum grade for all graduate schools (including Frontier).

I am a Frontier CNEP student. I know that there is a woman in my class who is a practicing FNP. She said that the transition into the program was seemless and I believe it is taking her less than 2 years to finish. I hope that helps a little! I'm sure that the admissions office can offer more wisdom, but I just wanted to let you know that it can be done! I love Frontier and am very happy with my education!

I second that! I am 37 and have just completed my first year of the program! I have one child and work part-time. I am a part-time student in the program and find it manageable. Not easy, but manageable! There are quite a few students older and younger than me, and most of them have children. If it is your dream, then you are never too old! Good luck!

CNEP at Frontier stands for "Community Based Nurse-Midwifery Education Program". It is the nurse-midwifery track at Frontier and one of the three tracks available there (they also offer FNP and WHNP--Women's Healthcare Nurse Practitioner). If you apply to Frontier, you apply to a specific track and graduate with an MSN in that specialty. If you already have an MSN, you can apply to the Post-Master's program in any of the specialy tracks, including CNEP. Frontier does not offer a generic MSN. I hope that helps!

I am a student at Frontier, and while they don't allow you to do a "dual" degree, I'm told it is a pretty seamless transition for nurse-midwifery students to complete the WHNP program. I am told that it is one extra class and clinical hours that can be completed as soon as the nurse-midwifery classes are finished. I intend to take advantage of this myself to earn certification as both....

I am a part-time Frontier student, work 12 or 24 hours per week on night shift and am a stay-at-home Mom to a 2.5 year old. I'd say it CAN be done, with some concessions. You will have to decide early on that you just can't "do it all" for awhile. My house is never as clean as I'd like it to be and we eat out more often than we used to. I have a VERY supportive husband who is great about coming home and watching our daughter when I'm in a school pinch. There are a lot of days when I wonder why I'm doing it, but I enjoy the coursework (well, most of it), and keep focused on the long term goals. If it is a dream of yours, I'd say to go for it, as long as you realize that you may need to let things go in other areas of your life. Most of the other students you will encounter at Frontier are in a similar life situation, so that really helps when you are feeling overwhelmed. I know of several current Frontier students who have recently had babies. Plus, a lot of the faculty earned master's degrees while they were working Moms, so they "get it" as well and are often very helpful at working things out. There have been a couple times in this program where "life" got in the way with school (sick daughter or crazy work schedule), and the faculty has been supportive about offering a short extension on assignments. It's definitely doable. Good luck with your decision. It's not an easy one, but you can do it if you try!

:chuckle :chuckleNot trying to be disrespectful to the earlier poster, but this is too funny to pass up!

My only advice is to relax, read some books for fun and take a vacation. Once school starts, you won't be doing any more pleasure reading and the stress level goes up a bit. You can still take vacations (I'm leaving tomorrow!! ) but will be taking my laptop and textbooks with me. It's really never ending. But worth it in the end! You will all LOVE LOVE LOVE Frontier Bound! I'm jealous--I wish I could go again!! Once you all get accepted, you will receive a copy of a book written by Mary Breckenridge ('Wide Neighborhoods'). It is required reading for Frontier students, as Mary is the founder of our school and one of the greats in American nursing history. I would get a start on the book when you get it--parts of it are a hard read. It's VERY inspiring and will help you truly appreciate the history you are entering when you attend Bound. Mary was such an amazing/trailblazing/tough/determined/self-sacrificing woman and reading her story will inspire you to follow your dreams! :redbeathe:redbeathe:redbeathe

Congrats everyone that has been accepted! Welcome to the Frontier family! It's a great place to be and the one thing they will keep saying to you (and I believe it to be true!), is that no one comes to Frontier by accident. You're in for quite a journey!! Frontier Bound is awesome!!

I'm not applying for Class 71 (I'm a member of Class 64), but just wanted to drop by and say good luck to you! It's a great experience and you won't forget it! I can't believe I'm already done with 2 terms and ready to start my 3rd. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions! Best of luck to you!