# data[].attributes.headline
Pass the National CNM Certification Exam and become an official experienced midwife!!

# data[].attributes.subject
Pass the National CNM Certification Exam and become an official experienced midwife!!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The American MidwiferyCertification Board (AMCB) [formerly the ACNM Certification Council(ACC)] is the national certifying body for Certified Nurse-Midwives (CNMs*) and Certified Midwives (CMs*). The certification function is a critical aspect of professional quality assurance in midwifery. Nurse-midwives have been certified by examination since 1971. At that time, certification rested within the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM), first within the Division of Examiners, and then within the Division of Competency Assessment. In 1991, in keeping with the professional standard that certification should be separated from the professional organization, the AMCB was incorporated as a distinct organization charged with functions related to the midwifery certificate. These functions include initial certification, recertification (certificate maintenance) and discipline. In 1998, in addition to the CNM certificate, the AMCB began to offer certification to professionally educated midwives who were not first educated as nurses. The CM certificate is offered to candidates from ACNM accredited programs in midwifery. To learn more about AMCB, visit http://www.amcbmidwife.org

The ACNM offers two programs designed to help students prepare for the national examination. The Exam Prep Workbook, available through http://www.shopacnm.com and the Exam Prep Workshop, offered at the ACNM Annual Meeting offer tips on the psychology of preparing to take the exam, overview of key content areas and sample practice questions.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The American MidwiferyCertification Board (AMCB) [formerly the ACNM Certification Council(ACC)] is the national certifying body for Certified Nurse-Midwives (CNMs*) and Certified Midwives (CMs*). The certification function is a critical aspect of professional quality assurance in midwifery. Nurse-midwives have been certified by examination since 1971.

# data[].attributes.headline
Earn a MSN or DNP Degree with a Midwifery Focus

# data[].attributes.subject
Earn a MSN or DNP Degree with a Midwifery Focus

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
DNP | Doctor of Nursing Practice Programs Online and On-Campus

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Certified nurse-midwives are experts in womancare, from adolescence through menopause and beyond. Whether they're providing primary care to women in medically underserved rural areas or managing perinatal care in leading hospitals and medical centers in major metro areas, CNMs are satisfying the need for cost-effective, patient-centered, healthcare for women of all ages.

Certified nurse-midwives focus on ensuring patients have options and a level of control during pregnancy and throughout the childbearing process, offering a supportive environment that views birth as a normal physiological process. Many studies have revealed outstanding patient outcomes associated with CNMs, including lower cesarean birth rates, higher breastfeeding rates, and lower NICU admission rates.

Certified nurse-midwives often work with OB/GYN doctors; however, these APRNs also serve as independent practitioners, improving access to quality healthcare for women in community clinics, OB/GYN practices, nurse-midwife-run practices, hospitals, and private birthing centers.

While they may be best known for their work with perinatal patients (including the prenatal, delivery, and postpartum periods), they also satisfy family planning and gynecological needs, family planning and STD care for men, and newborn care (usually during the first 28 days of life).

Not to be confused with certified midwives, who are also educated through accredited programs and nationally certified to practice, CNMs are advanced practice registered nurses who have completed an accredited nurse-midwifery master's program at minimum and have passed a national exam. While just fives states allow certified midwives to practice, all 50 states and Washington D.C. recognize CNMs.

On any given day, CNMs can be found counseling expecting mothers on birth plans...providing annual pelvic and breast exams...performing pap smears and other diagnostic tests...attending labor and delivery for low-intervention births...treating common infections, such as STDs...and educating patients on family planning options.

The State of Independent Practice Authority Among Certified Nurse-Midwives

Certified nurse-midwives who are able to practice as fully autonomous healthcare providers are highly valued, especially now with an aging OB/GYN workforce and shortages in maternity care, particularly in rural and medically underserved areas of the country. According to the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, a shortage of nearly 9,000 OB/GYNs is expected by the end of 2020. And by 2050, this number is projected to swell to 22,000.

All 50 states and Washington D.C. recognize CNMs through state licensure. And while CNMs enjoy full practice autonomy and prescriptive authority in 28 states, there are still many states where these APRNs must practice in a collaborative or supervisory capacity with a partnering physician.

Nineteen states require CNMs to enter into a collaborative physician agreement, while the remaining four states - California, Nebraska, North Carolina, and Florida are the most restrictive, requiring CNMs to practice under direct physician supervision.

Education and Certification Requirements to Become a Certified Nurse-Midwife

To become a certified nurse-midwife, you'll need to become nationally certified and state licensed, which requires, at a minimum, the completion of an MSN. However, in recent years, the MSN has given way to the DNP as a route to initial certification and licensure for many aspiring CNMs.

In addition to providing CNMs and other APRNs with more professional opportunities and, often times, larger paychecks, the DNP packs a punch when it comes to earning respect and recognition from the largely doctorate-prepared interdisciplinary healthcare team. This trend toward the DNP is also clear among colleges and universities, many of whom have increased their DNP offerings in recent years.

Today, DNP programs can be designed for students with various educational backgrounds:

MSN-DNP: This traditional DNP program, which may be designed for APRNs and non-APRNs alike, takes about two years to complete and consists of about 36 credits.

BSN-DNP: This entry-point is designed for BSN-prepared RNs and takes about three years to complete and consist of about 73 credits, combines the components of both the MSN and DNP into one, streamlined program.

Direct-Entry DNP: This unique option is designed specifically for career changers -those students who have completed a bachelor's degree in a non-nursing subject. The direct-entry DNP takes about four and a half years to complete; students earn their RN license, MSN, and DNP during this program.

The DNP includes all coursework and clinical experiences necessary to satisfy the AACN's DNP Essentials and requirements for national certification. You can expect to complete about 500 clinical hours and a final DNP project as part of your DNP program. Some of the courses unique to a DNP-CNM program include:

High-Risk Childbearing Family

Normal Childbearing Family

Management Women's Complex Health Issues

Management Fetus/Neonate in DYAD

Graduates qualify to take the national certification through the American Midwifery Certification Board (AMCB).

Salary Expectations for Certified Nurse-Midwives

According to a 2019 APRN Compensation Report, CNMs earned an average gross salary of $107,000 - much higher than the annual gross salary of $98,000 among women's health nurse practitioners.

May 2019 statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported an annual, average salary of $105,030 for CNMs, with the top 10% of these APRNs earning an average salary of $158,990.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Certified Nurse-Midwife Online Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Degree Programs

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Certified nurse-midwives are experts in womancare, from adolescence through menopause and beyond. Whether they're providing primary care to women in medically underserved rural areas or managing perinatal care in leading hospitals and medical centers in major metro areas, CNMs are satisfying the need for cost-effective, patient-centered, healthcare for women of all ages.

# data[].attributes.headline
Gain experience by working as a registered nurse 

# data[].attributes.subject
Gain experience by working as a registered nurse 

# data[].attributes.body
To be more experienced and be extra sure I am completely ready.

# data[].attributes.body
To make sure I have learned all the skills needed to become a certified mid-wife and begin soon with my career.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) develops the NCLEX exam to test the competency of nursing school graduates in the U.S. and Canada.

# data[].attributes.headline
Graduate from Parkrose and receive my diploma

# data[].attributes.subject
Graduate from Parkrose and receive my diploma

# data[].attributes.headline
Shadowing nurses, finding mentors or role models within the hospital for midwifery.

# data[].attributes.subject
Shadowing nurses, finding mentors or role models within the hospital for midwifery.

# data[].attributes.body
These Associates can sit and mentor you. Talk further information about being a midwife

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Partners in Diversity (PiD) operates as an affiliate of the Portland Business Alliance Charitable Institute, a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization, and seeks to address employers' critical needs for achieving and empowering a workforce that reflects the rapidly changing demographics of the Pacific Northwest.

WHA is proud to be at the top of the Portland Business Journal's list of largest women-owned businesses in Oregon and SW Washington.

The U.S. Women's Health Alliance is a national women's healthcare organization of respcted healthcare practices across the United States, who work together to improve the quality of women's care, create a more affordable healthcare system and protect and preserve the private practice of medicine.

Check Accepted
Insurance

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Nurse-Midwifery - Women's Healthcare Associates

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Partners in Diversity (PiD) operates as an affiliate of the Portland Business Alliance Charitable Institute, a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization, and seeks to address employers' critical needs for achieving and empowering a workforce that reflects the rapidly changing demographics of the Pacific Northwest.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
OHSU's certified nurse-midwives offer woman-to-woman care at our Center for Women's Health. We focus on your well-being through pregnancy, childbirth and beyond. We offer you:

Expert support for the natural birth process.

Experienced, highly trained nurse-midwives.

Well-woman care that focuses on your physical, emotional and social well-being.

Water birth, VBAC and group prenatal care programs.

Respect and support for your childbirth plan.

Access to other OHSU specialists and services if needed.

Access to the latest research and care innovations.

Our excellence

Becoming a nurse-midwife requires at least eight years of education and training. All of our nurse-midwives:

Are highly trained, licensed and certified health care professionals.

Are registered nurses with master's degrees or doctorates in midwifery.

Have passed a rigorous national exam.

Care that puts you first: You will always remember your pregnancy and birth experience. Our nurse-midwives honor pregnancy and birth as normal and natural. We will support your hopes and plans for your experience with compassion and respect.

Safe childbirth: We deliver babies at OHSU in close cooperation with doctors and specialists on our childbirth team. This means we have immediate access to high-risk or emergency services, if needed, including top doctors and newborn intensive care.

Why choose a midwife?

OHSU nurse-midwives:

Provide compassionate, respectful and family-centered care.

Strongly support normal-term, spontaneous, natural births.

Empower you to make informed decisions about your health.

Provide lots of labor support and welcome working with your doula.

Offer longer appointments than traditional clinics.

Our services

We offer complete maternity and well-woman care. You can expect:

Free "Get to Know You" appointments

Birth planning

We talk with you about your wishes and what's important to you as your labor and delivery unfold. These priorities go into your birth preferences plan. The plan can be added to your chart. It guides everyone on your care team when you arrive to have your baby.

Your plan might include:

General gynecology services

You'll find gentle care across your life span, including:

Group prenatal care

This combines your pregnancy care with a discussion and support group. You can expect:

In-depth health and pregnancy education.

More time with our midwives.

A supportive community of other pregnant women.

VBAC

Our certified nurse-midwives strongly support vaginal birth after cesarean. We offer:

A high success rate: About 80% of the women who try a VBAC with our nurse-midwives achieve their goal.

Compassionate care: Past birth experiences can have a profound effect on your health. We welcome an open discussion with you.

A safe setting: You will have a ccess to all the excellent medical resources at OHSU.

Water birth

Women with a low-risk pregnancy can choose to labor and/or give birth in a tub of heated water set up right in the birthing suite. We have more than 20 years of experience supporting women with normal pregnancies through water birth.

Pain management

Water therapy, with a jetted tub and shower in every room

Relaxation techniques

Guided breathing

Walking, moving and changing positions

Using birth balls or stools

Nitrous oxide (laughing gas)

IV pain medications

Epidurals and spinal blocks

Nutrition counseling

We offer advice on what to eat during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. If you have gestational diabetes or other concerns, we will refer you to a registered dietitian. Our trained professionals can help you make an eating plan that's healthy for you and your baby.

Risk assessment and counseling

We provide referrals to advanced testing and counseling at OHSU, including:

What to expect

Our facilities: Our large, private birthing rooms include jetted tubs and showers. We encourage you to make the space your own by adjusting the lights, playing music or using flameless candles.

Who can join me? (Please see our coronavirus resources page to learn about our temporary visitor policy.) You can include:

Your birth partner

Your doula

Family and friends

Team care: During your pregnancy, we recommend that you work closely with one or two midwives. A midwife who is new to you may be on duty when you come in to have your baby. Working as a team allows us to be emotionally available and well rested during your labor and birth.

Location

Parking is free for patients and their visitors.

Kohler Pavilion, seventh floor
808 S.W. Campus Drive
Portland, OR 97239

'A true sense of joy and awe'

See a video in which OHSU certified nurse-midwife Olivia Kroening-Roché and patient Megan Johnson talk about how midwives partner with patients.

OHSU's certified nurse-midwives offer woman-to-woman care at our Center for Women's Health. We focus on your well-being through pregnancy, childbirth and beyond. We offer you:

Expert support for the natural birth process.

Experienced, highly trained nurse-midwives.

Well-woman care that focuses on your physical, emotional and social well-being.

Water birth, VBAC and group prenatal care programs.

Respect and support for your childbirth plan.

Access to other OHSU specialists and services if needed.

Access to the latest research and care innovations.

Our excellence

Becoming a nurse-midwife requires at least eight years of education and training. All of our nurse-midwives:

Are highly trained, licensed and certified health care professionals.

Are registered nurses with master's degrees or doctorates in midwifery.

Have passed a rigorous national exam.

Care that puts you first: You will always remember your pregnancy and birth experience. Our nurse-midwives honor pregnancy and birth as normal and natural. We will support your hopes and plans for your experience with compassion and respect.

Safe childbirth: We deliver babies at OHSU in close cooperation with doctors and specialists on our childbirth team. This means we have immediate access to high-risk or emergency services, if needed, including top doctors and newborn intensive care.

Why choose a midwife?

OHSU nurse-midwives:

Provide compassionate, respectful and family-centered care.

Strongly support normal-term, spontaneous, natural births.

Empower you to make informed decisions about your health.

Provide lots of labor support and welcome working with your doula.

Offer longer appointments than traditional clinics.

Our services

We offer complete maternity and well-woman care. You can expect:

Free "Get to Know You" appointments

Birth planning

We talk with you about your wishes and what's important to you as your labor and delivery unfold. These priorities go into your birth preferences plan. The plan can be added to your chart. It guides everyone on your care team when you arrive to have your baby.

Your plan might include:

General gynecology services

You'll find gentle care across your life span, including:

Group prenatal care

This combines your pregnancy care with a discussion and support group. You can expect:

In-depth health and pregnancy education.

More time with our midwives.

A supportive community of other pregnant women.

VBAC

Our certified nurse-midwives strongly support vaginal birth after cesarean. We offer:

A high success rate: About 80% of the women who try a VBAC with our nurse-midwives achieve their goal.

Compassionate care: Past birth experiences can have a profound effect on your health. We welcome an open discussion with you.

A safe setting: You will have a ccess to all the excellent medical resources at OHSU.

Water birth

Women with a low-risk pregnancy can choose to labor and/or give birth in a tub of heated water set up right in the birthing suite. We have more than 20 years of experience supporting women with normal pregnancies through water birth.

Pain management

Water therapy, with a jetted tub and shower in every room

Relaxation techniques

Guided breathing

Walking, moving and changing positions

Using birth balls or stools

Nitrous oxide (laughing gas)

IV pain medications

Epidurals and spinal blocks

Nutrition counseling

We offer advice on what to eat during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. If you have gestational diabetes or other concerns, we will refer you to a registered dietitian. Our trained professionals can help you make an eating plan that's healthy for you and your baby.

Risk assessment and counseling

We provide referrals to advanced testing and counseling at OHSU, including:

What to expect

Our facilities: Our large, private birthing rooms include jetted tubs and showers. We encourage you to make the space your own by adjusting the lights, playing music or using flameless candles.

Who can join me? (Please see our coronavirus resources page to learn about our temporary visitor policy.) You can include:

Your birth partner

Your doula

Family and friends

Team care: During your pregnancy, we recommend that you work closely with one or two midwives. A midwife who is new to you may be on duty when you come in to have your baby. Working as a team allows us to be emotionally available and well rested during your labor and birth.

Location

Parking is free for patients and their visitors.

Kohler Pavilion, seventh floor
808 S.W. Campus Drive
Portland, OR 97239

'A true sense of joy and awe'

See a video in which OHSU certified nurse-midwife Olivia Kroening-Roché and patient Megan Johnson talk about how midwives partner with patients.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
OHSU's certified nurse-midwives offer woman-to-woman care at our Center for Women's Health. We focus on your well-being through pregnancy, childbirth and beyond. We offer you: Expert support for the natural birth process. Experienced, highly trained nurse-midwives. Well-woman care that focuses on your physical, emotional and social well-being.

# data[].attributes.body
Currently taking Health Services 1, soon to be Health Services 2 and lastly class 3.