What is Nurse-Midwife?

A professional health care provider prepared to offer women's health care and primary care services thoughout women's life time. A certified nurse-midwife (CNM) is an individual educated in the two disciplines of nursing and midwifery, who possesses evidence of certification according to the requirements of the American College of Nurse-Midwives.

"Numerous studies conducted by the private sector and governmental organizations document that nurse-midwives provide cost-effective, high quality care that reduces the incidence of prematurity and neonatal deaths, results in more normal birth weight babies, and lowers the number of Caesarean births while increasing the number of vaginal births after caesarean. Women are demonstrating a strong preference for the exceptional and personal care provided by nurse-midwives, which emphasizes the woman as a partner in her own health care."

The A.C.N.M. Foundation

 

Qualifications of CNM in Wisconsin:

• Rregistered Nurse (RN) with advanced degree
• Graduated from an accredited midwifery educational program
• Demonstrated core competencies of profession
• Passed the national certification exam

Most hold 3 licenses in WI:

• Registered Nurse (RN)
• Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM)
• Avanced Practice Nurse Prescriber (APNP)

 

APNPs have full prescriptive authority on their own signature

Eligible for 3rd party reimbursement (private insurance and Medicaid)

Granted hospital delivery privileges

Attended about 10% of U.S. vaginal births in 2004 (6% WI)

 

Scope of Practice:

Provide women’s health care across the life span

Prepared in all the following areas:

• Prenatal
• Labor
• Birth
• Postpartum
• Family planning
• Gynecology
• Perimenopausal

 

Expertise:

Specialists in women’s health, wellness oriented and family-centered

Recognized experts in managing care of essentially normal women throughout the life span

Identify normalcy and promote preventive health with dual preparation in nursing and midwifery

Recognized as international “gold standard” of care for women’s health

Experts in working with diverse women and families

Excellent evidence-based outcome data over decades of research

Have Physician consultant available for problems

Collaborate with other health professionals

 

BENEFITS of Nurse-Midwifery Care

QUALITY:

Close adherence to Standards of Practice

Greater reliance on lower technology, evidence-based approaches

Growing consumer demand

High patient satisfaction ratings

Fewer admissions to NICU

More women choose to breastfeed, resulting in healthier infants

COST:

Using technology when clinically indicated saves unnecessary charges

CNM clients return more often for prenatal care, associated with better outcomes

CNM patients need cesarean sections less than half as often as physician patients

Preventive approach reduces costly complication rates

Healthier infants require fewer expensive hospitalizations

ACCESS:

Improve access to health services for women of all backgrounds

Excellent outcomes include populations at high risk socio-demographically

Fewer low birth weight infants born helps to lower the high infant mortality rate