You'll be over specializing

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Specializes in Ante-Intra-Postpartum, Post Gyne.

I was talking to a FNP I work for about how my schooling is going. I told him about the Nurse Midwife program I want to go to after I get my BSN. He said that I should get my FNP first and then go back and get my CNM if I still want to because they are always looking for FNPs and that if I do the CNM rout I will have problems resulting from specializing...that there are only a few Ob-Gyns in this area and one of them is very old school "man/doctor knows best" and will not higher midwives...:angryfire Has any one said anything like this to you? How do you not get discouraged?

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I plan to go the FNP route before CNM for the reasons he stated, BUT why would you be concerned about what doctors in your area are doing? Are CNMs unable to practice on their own in your state? I would think that if there are very few OBGYNs in your area, then that would be great for the community that you'd be offering your services as a midwife and good for your own business as well.

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Specializes in Ante-Intra-Postpartum, Post Gyne.
I plan to go the FNP route before CNM for the reasons he stated, BUT why would you be concerned about what doctors in your area are doing? Are CNMs unable to practice on their own in your state? I would think that if there are very few OBGYNs in your area, then that would be great for the community that you'd be offering your services as a midwife and good for your own business as well.

I do not know of any midwives that practice on their own in this area. I do not think they could find a doctor to back them up (if you do home births as a midwife they will not hire you at the hospital)

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Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.
I was talking to a FNP I work for about how my schooling is going. I told him about the Nurse Midwife program I want to go to after I get my BSN. He said that I should get my FNP first and then go back and get my CNM if I still want to because they are always looking for FNPs and that if I do the CNM rout I will have problems resulting from specializing...that there are only a few Ob-Gyns in this area and one of them is very old school "man/doctor knows best" and will not higher midwives...:angryfire Has any one said anything like this to you? How do you not get discouraged?

Hi, Hearts,:balloons:

I think the rationale that FNP gave you is a little lame. Should you stay in that same area and need to be associated with that one particular physician, I suppose you might have a problem. You should put out some feelers out now on the general concensus of the other OB's.

But, the entire rationale he used for the CNM is IMHO incorrect. If he had said the FNP was more marketable for the area, that would be more accurate and I could see that. In my area, FNP is highly sought after. So, I could see the reasoning to seek FNP in order to have a more secure future should you not be able to find work as a CNM. I am OB-GYN NP and then did the FNP track in order to have a more secure future.

As for the "man/doctor" knows best, you more than likely will find that type of mentality everywhere. Just roll your eyes and go on. I have practiced in a male-dominated profession and have had to disprove that theory.

Many places are begging for CNM, especially in the rural areas.

Just do some checking and try not to get discouraged.

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