Certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) are licensed health care practitioners educated in the two disciplines of nursing and midwifery. They provide primary care for all women, including prenatal care, labor and delivery management, gynecological care, assistance with family planning, and menopausal management.

With a national shortage of qualified CNMs, employment opportunities continue to increase. Although the number of CNM-attended births has increased every year since 1975, the first year that the National Center for Health Statistics began collecting data, there are not yet many job opportunities in the Midwest. This may change as the occupation gains more acceptance in the medical field.

Like all nurses, CNMs should be caring and sympathetic. They need emotional stability to cope with human suffering, emergencies, and other stresses, and should be able to effectively communicate with women. Psychomotor skills, as well as creative and critical thinking skills are also required.

The nurse-midwife is prepared both academically and clinically to provide a broad range of health care services for women and newborns.

CNMs need skills to provide diagnostic services (history taking, physical assessment, ordering appropriate laboratory test/procedures) as well as therapeutic management (outlining care, providing prescriptions). They should also be able to coordinate consultations, referrals, and activities related to health promotion and risk reduction.

Although most CNM responsibilities focus on childbearing, family planning, and gynecological care for well women, CNMs may also assess and manage common acute, episodic illnesses in adults.

A certified nurse-midwife must graduate from an accredited graduate-level nursing program with instruction in clinical midwifery, obstetrics, gynecology, and newborn care. They must also pass the National Certification Examination.

Applicants for nurse-midwife programs must be registered nurses who have at least one to two years of nursing experience. Most certified nurse-midwifes have extensive prior experience in maternity and public health nursing.

Certified nurse-midwives work in hospitals, birthing centers, HMOs, public health departments, private practices, clinics, and patients’ homes. Traditionally, they have also provided care to under-served populations in rural areas or inner-city settings.