epiphany

http://www.cms.hhs.gov/nationalProvIdentstand/

Yes. And I would chose a male midwife over a female OB any day. I don't endear myself to female OB's after what I have seen.

Zahryia - Pecola is right - you'll be fine. Most of my classmates did not have L&D experience, and are getting jobs they want. I did have a friend who went through a second interview, and then was turned down, she was told "because of her lack of L&D experience." That's a little fishy to me - that information was in her resume before they put her through all the interviews, so I suspect it's an excuse. In any case, that particular place turned out to be a place she wouldn't have wanted to work at anyway - the CNM's had no autonomy and the residents had all the say. In the end, she got a job she loved. Most people hired from the integration. In fact everyone received an offer from the place we were at clinicals, me included. Something to keep in mind when you choose your sites.

Most of the hospitals that I applied to work in shifts, as is the one I'm working at now. There 2 private OB's I applied to that had calls.

There's research to support that less is more. Whenever I can, I only suture minimally, just to create an internal "bandage" to allow the healing to take place naturally. I have seen enough skin tags and puckering to believe the research and not to over do it. So yes, it is possible to oversew, and as one poster said - don't let them tell you it's in your head. Be prepared to get a second opinion if you have to. Do you know what degree laceration it was?

Just right off the bat, I don't think I would like on-calls. I would really have to learn to how relax during the day knowing someone could give birth anytime. Give me 40 solid hours of work, where the rest of my free time belongs to me. Of course if it were my own business and/or partnership, I think I would feel more protective of my clients and be willing to be at the beck and call of their labor.

What's your birth census like?

yes (just found out I need at least 5 words to post or it's "too short")

Any CNM's care to comment? I was hoping to hear from both CNM's and L&D nurses, but maybe it's not realistic in this forum.

The relationship between an L&D nurse and a CNM in the hospital setting is never properly and openly discussed, so what I do? Start a topic on it. :nuke: I invite anyone to start it first.

I should also mention that if you worked for a federally qualified site, you will get loan repayment. As far as I know it's 25K a year. Check the facts for yourselves, I didn't actually apply but my friends did. You should also peruse their site: http://nhscjobs.hrsa.gov/

I think the job market is tougher in general these days. Unfortunately I don't work in that area, so I don't know it specifically. I do know that there are job openings, according to the midwifejobs.com listing and there some new grads were hired in that area recently. You should peruse that site, too. When do you plan to have graduated? Things change with time, what's happening now may not be the case when you are ready for job. I expect that need for increased primary health care if the new healthcare plan gets passed, will open ways for a lot of NP's and midwives.

I've said my views on this many times and ways, but the important argument is, you learn bad habits. A woman has so much more capacity than is allowed or seen in L&D, and it's hard for any human being, even a midwife, to believe in possibilities when it is consistently re-enforced upon them that the opposite is true. And there is really nothing you need to know about L&D nursing that you cannot learn on the job as a midwife, if you end up working in a hospital, which many of us do. Nobody ever suggests that doctors learn to be L&D nurses first, and they have to work just as closely with them, if not even more - ie, PIH pts, c-sections, pitocin management (which midwives may deal with on some levels, but much less). Midwifery isnt a step-up from L&D nursing anymore than an OB is.

If you take the high end of the spectrum of nursing salary (experienced nurses, overtime, high paying institution) and compare it with the low end of the spectrum of CNM's (new grads, lowpaying place, no overtime) yes, it could overlap. It's a like a magic trick - look we can make those two ends meet, can you believe it. People find that sort of thing fascinating. What I am saying is that the site that I gave, is a true representation of what I am seeing. Most CNM's with a couple of years of experience are making close to 90K, and you can't say that about nursing salaries. Everybody makes more money with overtime - many CNM's do per diems. I will say that job satisfaction is no comparison (and we are undervalued and underpaid) but still, if you are just talking money, there is incentive to be a midwife besides loving the job. Yes, it is in my interest to encourage midwifery for anyone with doubts about money, and that's why I posted this, but only because it's the best job in the world, and if you have the heart, we need you. :)

sorry, i wasn't too clear on that. so, to breakdown - for 2 days, I have regular clinic hours, 8 hours a day. Clinic hours are mostly weekdays. You would see pregnant women, as well as GYN care. In the 12 hour shifts are L&D shifts, 7am to 7 pm. You clock in, and are on the floor managing labor, including triaging and postpartum rounds. It would work like a nursing shift. In many places that offer that 40 hour/wk, you never have to do calls. Btw, I don't really like calls because it's like having this 24 hour period waiting for the other shoe to drop. You have to learn how to relax, go about your day or night until you get paged, sleep when you can. Some people can get used it but it would be hard for me.