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Types of Midwives: A Discussion

4: A comment with two responses


Introduction to discussion of types of midwives
Back to:Information from Daphne Singingtree
Forward to:Newest comment (Mar 6, 1996) : from Carolyn Havens Niemann


Subj: Re: Empirical & Direct Entery Midwife (Homebirth Page)
Date: Sun, Dec 18, 1994 8:53 PM EDT
From: jlegacy@u.washington.edu
X-From: jlegacy@u.washington.edu (Janis Legacy)
Sender: midwife-request@csv.warwick.ac.uk
To: tau@macbel.be (Anne Kesteloot & Patrick Hublou)
CC: midwife@csv.warwick.ac.uk (Mailing-list)

I am in a master's program at the University of Washington to become a CNM and believe me! I am not doing this so I can work under a doctor's supervision...this is the route that gives us the most autonomy and freedom to do home births or hospital births without a physician getting in our way. And I certainly do not plan to work only in a hospital or birth center, many of us work in rural, underserved areas where physicians won't work. We provide quality, affordable health care for well women as well as well baby care and treatment of some male problems, such as Sexually Transmitted Disease. CNM's have more coverage from health insurance and also have their own hospital admitting privledges in many states (something few nurse practitioners have yet). With hospital admitting privledges, we can keep our patients who have complications and need to be transfered to hospital care.

Direct entry midwives are the ones who used to be called Lay Midwives. I think this is now the politically correct term but we have to hear from them. I also believe certified midwives do one to two years of schooling and are first nurses, I may be wrong about this but I think not. The main difference is CNM is a master's program and you must have a bachlor's degree where nurses with a associates degree can do a certified midwifery program.

Hope this adds more information. Correct me if I'm wrong....

Janis Legacy CNM student


Subj: Re: Empirical & Direct Entery Midwife (Homebirth
Date: Mon, Dec 19, 1994 7:25 PM EDT
From: sullivna@ohsu.edu
Sender: midwife-request@csv.warwick.ac.uk
To: midwife@csv.warwick.ac.uk

Janis, there is an error in your message about CNM educational programs. They are not all at the master's level; there are also certificate programs, usually about a year in length, for nurses who do not have a degree. The American College of Nurse-Midwife is committed to both types of program. There are only a few states that require a master's degree for practice as a nurse-midwife; Oregon is one, and Washington soon will be another. Even in those states, however, there are many "grandmothered" CNMs practicing who do not have a bachelor's or a master's degree in nursing, but received their education in an associate degree program or a hospital training program.


Subj: Re: Empirical & Direct Entry...
Date: Mon, Dec 19, 1994 3:07 PM EDT
From: ManaMW@aol.com
Sender: midwife-request@csv.warwick.ac.uk
To: jlegacy@u.washington.edu, midwife@csv.warwick.ac.uk

Janice,

You can become a cnm without a masters degree. Even though you would hold a certificate instead of a masters degree, you would still have the title certified nurse midwife.

A certified midwife is only recognized in about 30 states and must be certified directly by that state. In states such as Washington and Florida, that requires attending a formal midwifery school. In other states apprenticeship is acceptable as long as core competencies are acquired. Many states are now leaning towards accepting the North American Registry of Midwives (NARM) certification program. Midwives who complete the program will have the title "certified professional midwife" (CPM). Certified midwives and cpm's mainly deliver at home or in birthing centers. As of yet, hospitals do not recognize midwives who are not cnm's.

If you have any other questions, please contact me.


Introduction to discussion of types of midwives
Back to:Information from Daphne Singingtree
Forward to:Newest comment (Mar 6, 1996) : from Carolyn Havens Niemann

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Last updated Mar 6, 1996 by
Donna Dolezal Zelzer
, djz@efn.org