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Suseth
Student
El Mirage, Arizona
1
Question
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Confused on which and what to go to college for after high school in order to be a certified nurse midwife ?
Hello! I am currently a sophomore really set on becoming a CNM since junior high, I want to apply to West Mec for my remaining time as a medical assistant to get taught the basics. I’m really confused on what to do or study after graduating high school in order to be a nurse midwife ? Please help !
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5 answers
Michelle M.
Entertainment Industry
1766
Answers
Updated
Michelle’s Answer
Hello, Suseth !
After you graduate High School, enroll in Nursing School in order to take a path leading to becoming a Mid Wife.
In your state of Arizona, you would have to go for an Advanced Practice Nursing (APN) degree and then a Masters in Midwifery. Your graduate studies would consist of classroom lectures with about 40 to 60 units of credit. You will also have 1,000 hours of clinical education experience included in the graduate program. That is like doing an internship. Then you would go for your Certification in Midwifery and then apply for APN Status with the Arizona State Board of Nursing. It is probably a course of about six years education.
Even though you are a sophomore right now, it would be a good idea to become familiar with colleges that have a Nursing program that you could consider in a couple of years. You can even visit their campuses and see how you like the schools in order to make a final choice of which to apply to when you are ready. The University of Arizona in Tucson has the program you will need - a Nursing Program and then the Midwifery requirement. I left a link below for you to read their information. But remember you will have to obtain your nursing degree before taking the midwifery program.
For now, there is support for you through the Arizona Association of Midwifes organization and I have left a link for you below to their website. Their website has an e-mail address to write to someone there if you have questions about becoming a Midwife. No need to wonder any longer - there are resources that can help you with information so that you can know the path and learn more about the career. They seem to welcome questions from aspiring nurse midwives. I left their e-mail address for you below.
Applying to Western Maricopa Education Center (WestMec) sounds like an ideal plan for your 11th and 12th grades. It will be a great way to get hands on experience, be placed in an Internship and have employment services provided to you. But keep in mind that after High School, if you want to be a Midwife, you will have to start Nursing School and than a graduate program for Midwifery. The experience with WestMec will introduce you to the clinical environment and give you practice working with patients in general.
Another support for you would be the Arizona Nurse Midwives group for which I have left a link for you below. There is a contact link on their home page of their website which I left the link for below.
I hope that this has cleared up any question about the educational path you would do and I wish you all the best in all you do !
THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA COLLEGE OF NURSING https://www.nursing.arizona.edu/academics/graduate-certificates/nurse-midwifery
ARIZONA ASSOCIATION OF MIDWIVES https://www.azassocmidwives.com/
FOR QUESTIONS ABOUT BECOMING A MIDEWIFERY STUDENT - E-MAIL ADDRESS - azassociationofmidwives@gmail.com
ARIZONA NURSE MIDWIVES FOR MEETINGS, STUDENT LIASONS, EDUCATION AND FINANCIAL AID http://www.aznursemidwives.org/students.html
ARIZONA NURSE MIDWIVES WBSITE http://www.aznursemidwives.org/
After you graduate High School, enroll in Nursing School in order to take a path leading to becoming a Mid Wife.
In your state of Arizona, you would have to go for an Advanced Practice Nursing (APN) degree and then a Masters in Midwifery. Your graduate studies would consist of classroom lectures with about 40 to 60 units of credit. You will also have 1,000 hours of clinical education experience included in the graduate program. That is like doing an internship. Then you would go for your Certification in Midwifery and then apply for APN Status with the Arizona State Board of Nursing. It is probably a course of about six years education.
Even though you are a sophomore right now, it would be a good idea to become familiar with colleges that have a Nursing program that you could consider in a couple of years. You can even visit their campuses and see how you like the schools in order to make a final choice of which to apply to when you are ready. The University of Arizona in Tucson has the program you will need - a Nursing Program and then the Midwifery requirement. I left a link below for you to read their information. But remember you will have to obtain your nursing degree before taking the midwifery program.
For now, there is support for you through the Arizona Association of Midwifes organization and I have left a link for you below to their website. Their website has an e-mail address to write to someone there if you have questions about becoming a Midwife. No need to wonder any longer - there are resources that can help you with information so that you can know the path and learn more about the career. They seem to welcome questions from aspiring nurse midwives. I left their e-mail address for you below.
Applying to Western Maricopa Education Center (WestMec) sounds like an ideal plan for your 11th and 12th grades. It will be a great way to get hands on experience, be placed in an Internship and have employment services provided to you. But keep in mind that after High School, if you want to be a Midwife, you will have to start Nursing School and than a graduate program for Midwifery. The experience with WestMec will introduce you to the clinical environment and give you practice working with patients in general.
Another support for you would be the Arizona Nurse Midwives group for which I have left a link for you below. There is a contact link on their home page of their website which I left the link for below.
I hope that this has cleared up any question about the educational path you would do and I wish you all the best in all you do !
Michelle recommends the following next steps:
Lirio Delgado
202
Answers
Phoenix, Arizona
Updated
Lirio’s Answer
To become a certified nurse midwife (CNM), you need to follow a specific educational path. First, after graduating high school, you should pursue a degree in nursing. This typically involves getting an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). Since you're interested in attending West-MEC for medical assisting, that's a great start to gain foundational knowledge in healthcare.
After obtaining your nursing degree, you'll need to pass the NCLEX-RN exam to become a licensed registered nurse (RN). Once you're an RN, you can gain experience in maternal and child health, which is valuable for midwifery.
Next, you'll need to earn a graduate degree in nurse-midwifery, usually a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) with a specialization in midwifery. This program will include both coursework and clinical practice. After completing your degree, you'll take the certification exam from the American Midwifery Certification Board to become certified.
After obtaining your nursing degree, you'll need to pass the NCLEX-RN exam to become a licensed registered nurse (RN). Once you're an RN, you can gain experience in maternal and child health, which is valuable for midwifery.
Next, you'll need to earn a graduate degree in nurse-midwifery, usually a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) with a specialization in midwifery. This program will include both coursework and clinical practice. After completing your degree, you'll take the certification exam from the American Midwifery Certification Board to become certified.
Annette D
Sr. Talent Acquisition Consultant
3
Answers
Atlanta, Georgia
Updated
Annette’s Answer
I concur with Michelle's guidance, but I also suggest incorporating doula education and certification into your journey.
If you don’t mind asking what that is ?
Suseth
Here is the definition of a doula. https://www.webmd.com/baby/what-is-a-doula/
https://americanpregnancy.org/healthy-pregnancy/labor-and-birth/having-a-doula/
https://www.medicinenet.com/doula_vs_midwife/article.htm
https://www.dona.org/
Hope this helps!
Annette D
But a doula is a non-medical community based person and I think that the student will learn about serving the person through the midwifery masters in Arizona. Midwives most definitely do some level of social services as that sometimes goes along with the case and an additional program for doula would not be necessary in Arizona. It seems like a good training, but student will learn everything in her Nursing and Midwifery course of study. In other words, doula training would be redundant.
Michelle M.
RACHEL GILMER
RN, Labor & Delivery; College Faculty
19
Answers
Los Angeles, California
Updated
RACHEL’s Answer
Hello Suseth,
To become a Certified Nurse Midwife you must first be a nurse (hence the word "nurse" in the title). I strongly recommend you get a BSN, Bachelor's of Science in Nursing, as your initial degree, otherwise you will have to go back to get your Bachelor's before moving on to your Master's Degree.
Once you are a nurse, look for a hospital that provides training in Labor& Delivery. Spend at least 2 years doing that before continuing onto Graduate School. Find an university that provides a MSN-CNM training/ degree.
Some individuals may suggest you go straight through from college to university and then graduate school. This may be a faster way to get to your goal, but the experience as a L&D will be invaluable as you learn to care for your patients from that perspective and you will learn how to communicate with nurses and providers.
There are others ways to become a midwife (lay midwife, certified midwife), but a Certified Nurse Midwife is the highest standard, better trained and most respected.
Good luck, and start looking at nursing schools in your area that provide a BSN. That's the first step.
Have fun nursing and welcoming in a new generation (or few generations) of babies.
I love it!
To become a Certified Nurse Midwife you must first be a nurse (hence the word "nurse" in the title). I strongly recommend you get a BSN, Bachelor's of Science in Nursing, as your initial degree, otherwise you will have to go back to get your Bachelor's before moving on to your Master's Degree.
Once you are a nurse, look for a hospital that provides training in Labor& Delivery. Spend at least 2 years doing that before continuing onto Graduate School. Find an university that provides a MSN-CNM training/ degree.
Some individuals may suggest you go straight through from college to university and then graduate school. This may be a faster way to get to your goal, but the experience as a L&D will be invaluable as you learn to care for your patients from that perspective and you will learn how to communicate with nurses and providers.
There are others ways to become a midwife (lay midwife, certified midwife), but a Certified Nurse Midwife is the highest standard, better trained and most respected.
Good luck, and start looking at nursing schools in your area that provide a BSN. That's the first step.
Have fun nursing and welcoming in a new generation (or few generations) of babies.
I love it!
Charanpreet Walia
Public Health Nurse
20
Answers
San Diego, California
Updated
Charanpreet’s Answer
Hello Suseth
To achieve your dream of becoming a midwife, you must first become a registered nurse (RN). Take it step by step, and you will reach your goal. Start by earning an RN degree. This step may seem simple, but it requires thorough preparation. You must accumulate volunteer hours and maintain an excellent GPA to gain admission to a 4-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program. You will work on general education courses during these four years of college. Nursing schools will evaluate you based on a cumulative GPA, GPA in science courses, and entry-level nursing exam performance.
It may seem like a lot, but many have completed this path before you, and so can you. It will demand hard work and sacrificing some aspects of your social life, but in the end, it will be worth every hour dedicated to your studies.
After earning your BSN, you will begin working as an RN and can apply for a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program after 1-2 years of experience. The MSN program will focus on your preferred specialty. Once you graduate from the MSN program, you will need to pass a state-level test, and finally, you will achieve your goal.
Keep your eyes on the prize and stay focused.
To achieve your dream of becoming a midwife, you must first become a registered nurse (RN). Take it step by step, and you will reach your goal. Start by earning an RN degree. This step may seem simple, but it requires thorough preparation. You must accumulate volunteer hours and maintain an excellent GPA to gain admission to a 4-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program. You will work on general education courses during these four years of college. Nursing schools will evaluate you based on a cumulative GPA, GPA in science courses, and entry-level nursing exam performance.
It may seem like a lot, but many have completed this path before you, and so can you. It will demand hard work and sacrificing some aspects of your social life, but in the end, it will be worth every hour dedicated to your studies.
After earning your BSN, you will begin working as an RN and can apply for a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program after 1-2 years of experience. The MSN program will focus on your preferred specialty. Once you graduate from the MSN program, you will need to pass a state-level test, and finally, you will achieve your goal.
Keep your eyes on the prize and stay focused.