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Become a Nurse Midwife | Program and School Info

Nurse Midwives have been delivering babies since the profession was established in the United States back in the 1920s.  A Nurse Midwife provides the primary care for pregnant women during their pregnancy and childbirth.  These nurses play a key role in reducing both infant and women in childbirth mortality rates.  Nurse Midwives are often on call, needing to be ready to respond and deliver their patient's child when the child decides to come.  

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Nurse Midwife Work Environment

Nurse Midwives work in a wide variety of settings.  Some work out of their own clinics and offices, while some work out of hospitals, military hospitals, physician's offices, OB/GYN clinics,  and birth centers.  The majority of Nurse Midwives deliver babies in hospitals, but others still deliver babies in women's homes.

Nurse Midwife College Education and Training

Being a Nurse Midwife requires patience, teamwork, and compassion, above and beyond that of most other registered nurses, in addition to extensive education in OB/GYN practices.  Nurse Midwives are Registered Nurses (RNs) who have pursued additional or specific education to become Certified Nurse Midwives.  The American College of Nurse Midwives (ACNM) is the certifying body for Nurse Midwives in the United States, and requires that a Nurse Midwife complete a course at an accredited school before taking the certification exam.
One option is to specialize in midwifery while obtaining a Bachelor's of Science in Nursing degree (BSN) at a college, university, or vocational school to become an RN.   Or, after getting a BSN and becoming an RN, there are accredited Nurse Midwife graduate degree programs, as well as certificate programs.  Regardless of the route you take, you will still need to take the ACNM's exam to actually receive your certification and most employers will want you to have a graduate degree specifically in midwifery.

Nurse Midwife Job Outlook and Salary

According to the American College of Nurse Midwives, the median income for Nurse Midwives $80,000-$90,000 annually.  Demand for these advanced practice registered nurses is expected to continue to grow although birth rates are beginning to decline slightly.
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