Should I still pursue CNM?

[ayada72]

Hi everyone! I am currently a student at Frontier in the bridge program. I will cross the Bridge portion this Summer and will begin courses for the APRN. I enrolled at Frontier to become a CNM, as that has always been my dream since before even starting nursing school.

I am struggling at this point because I’m not sure if I still want to go the CNM route. As a Bridge student I am not yet tied down to the CNM program, and I have the option to do the NP program instead. I have until June to decide whether I want to do CNM or NP.

The reason I am unsure if I want to become a CNM now is because I started working in L&D as a bedside nurse last year and it is honestly challenging for me. I find that I have so much anxiety almost every day that I work, even after being in L&D for a year and a half now. I LOVE seeing the the miracle of birth, but I also find that it is very draining to me. The stress of work has began to diminish the joy I thought I would have working in this field. I’m afraid that this feeling will continue if I become a CNM.

At this point I feel that I’m just not cut out for the hospital setting. I now just really want to work in Women’s health in an outpatient clinic setting. In nursing school I worked in an ENT office as a medical assistant and I LOVED the outpatient environment.

My dream has always been to deliver babies, but now I’m not even sure I can handle the stress. I also want to start a family in the next few years and worry about the busy schedule of being on-call all the time as a CNM. I would prefer the more consistent schedule that’s found in the clinic setting. I love the GYN aspect of women’s health and at this point I can really see myself working as a WHNP and loving it.

So now my question is, is it even worth it to become a CNM if I don’t necessarily want to deliver babies anymore? I know a CNM can do everything that a WHNP can do, plus deliver babies. But is it hard to get a job solely in a clinic as a CNM? I assume most places would want me to have at least some experience working in a hospital as a CNM after I graduate.

Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated! ?

[LibraSunCNM, BSN, MSN, CNM]

If you only want to work in a clinic, it won't *hurt* you to become a CNM. It shouldn't make it harder to find a clinic job, that is. But if you're really certain it's not your jam, I'd honestly just do WHNP. The midwifery program is no joke, and it's a lot to go through if you really don't think you'll ever want to attend births.

[seraphimid]

Have you thought of out of hospital birth? I know people who become CNMs knowing they will never want to work in a hospital. This limits your options for employment, but could be very satisfying long term if you found a place you liked.