A Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM) is a primary health care provider to women of all ages throughout their lives. CNMs focus on gynecologic and family planning services, as well as preconception, pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum and newborn care. They also provide primary care such as conducting annual exams, writing prescriptions, and offering basic nutrition counseling.
Certified nurse-midwives are advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) backed by the American College of Nurse-Midwives. To become a CNM, registered nurses must graduate from a master’s or higher-level nurse-midwifery education program accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education (ACME) and pass the national Certified Nurse-Midwife Examination through the American Midwifery Certification Board. All CNMs must hold state licensure.
CARING FOR WOMEN AND FAMILIES
Nurse-midwives contribute significantly to better care for women and families. This is why a number of health care organizations across the country are embracing collaborative models and adding nurse-midwives to health care teams.
Nurse-midwives with their unique skill sets help improve quality and decrease costs. They also serve as excellent advocates for patients, which is particularly important as more and more women are seeking out-of-hospital care.
At Frontier Nursing University, our goal is to educate more certified nurse-midwives so that midwifery care is available to all women who seek it.
"The passion in my life—besides my own babies—is being with women as they’re growing their families and being with students as they’re growing their dreams to be with women and families … It’s a privilege to get to do what I do. I do not take it for granted. I am thankful every day."
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- Tonya Nicholson, DNP, CNM, WHNP-BC, CNE, FACNM
Department Chair for Midwifery and Women’s Health, FNU
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