Midwife
Career Overview
Midwives work to promote the health of babies, mothers, and families. Their presence during childbirth provides support throughout the process of labor and delivery along with general care for women and children immediately after birth. Midwives also provide medical care for women throughout pregnancy and are on call should complications occur. Since a midwife’s work also includes promoting public health, he or she touches the lives of families and greater communities.
Responsibilities
Certified nurse-midwives provide a wide range of primary healthcare for women, including preconception care, prenatal care, gynecological exams, health maintenance counseling, menopausal management, labor and delivery care, care after birth, disease prevention, newborn care, and family planning assistance. In addition, they routinely collaborate with other medical professionals to coordinate medical care.
On a community level, nurse-midwives are advocates of birth education, natural childbirth, and entire-family participation in the birthing process. Since they work to promote uncomplicated pregnancy and birth, they perform episiotomies and cesarean sections far less often than in traditional birthing environments.
Educational Requirements
Direct entry midwives (DEM) enter the field via community-based training, an apprenticeship, or some other field than standard nursing. As of 1996, DEMs are eligible for certification from the North American Registry of Midwives. This certification is known as Certified Midwife, or CM.
Nurse-midwives are formally educated through accredited midwifery programs and must pass a national certification exam through the American College of Nurse-Midwives.
Both paths are legally recognized, and certification requires childbirth training as well as the commitment to providing care for women during the birthing process. Certified midwives must successfully complete prerequisite health science requirements, graduate from a recognized midwifery course of study, earn a minimum of a baccalaureate degree, and successfully pass a national certification exam.
Areas of Specialization
While direct entry midwives typically specialize in home births, certified nurse-midwives provide a full range of healthcare services for women and preside over births in hospitals, birth centers, and private homes. Midwives can also choose to put a more political spin on their careers, working in the community to advocate for changes in public policy along with increasing awareness of the profession.
Career Opportunities
Below is a list of possible career options for qualified midwives. This is not a complete list and serves only as a guide to potential career paths.
- Certified Nurse Midwife
- Director of Nurse Midwifery
- Professor of Nurse Midwifery
- Nurse Midwifery Administrator
Salary Ranges
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), which lists salaries for nurse-midwives under the registered nurse category, median annual earnings were $57,280 in May 2006, with the middle 50 percent earning between $47,710 and $69,850, the lowest 10 percent earning less than $40,250, and the highest 10 percent earning more than $83,440. However, salaries may vary with work environment, geographical location, and amount of experience in the field.
Professional Organizations
There are several professional nurse midwife organizations and advocacy groups. These can prove a powerful resource and offer helpful information.
ACNM – American College of Nurse Midwives
www.midwife.org
ICTC – International Center for Traditional Childbearing
www.blackmidwives.org
MANA – Midwives Alliance of North America
www.mana.org