Nurse Midwives

Diagnose and coordinate all aspects of the birthing process, either independently or as part of a healthcare team. May provide well-woman gynecological care. Must have specialized, graduate nursing education.

Median Annual Wage: $96,970

Education: Master's degree (78%); Post-master's certificate (11%); Post-baccalaureate certificate (5%)

Projected Growth: Much faster than average (22% or higher)

Related Job Titles: Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM); Nurse Midwife; Staff Midwife; Certified Nurse-Midwife; Clinical Site Coordinator and Supervisor; Nurse Midwife/Clinical Instructor; Senior Instructor, Certified Nurse Midwife; Staff Certified Nurse Midwife; Staff Nurse Midwife; Staff Nurse-Midwife

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Source: O*NET OnLine information for Nurse Midwives.

More Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Careers

  • Provide prenatal, intrapartum, postpartum, or newborn care to patients.
  • Explain procedures to patients, family members, staff members or others.
  • Monitor fetal development by listening to fetal heartbeat, taking external uterine measurements, identifying fetal position, or estimating fetal size and weight.
  • Develop and implement individualized plans for health care management.
  • Write information in medical records or provide narrative summaries to communicate patient information to other health care providers.
  • Document patients' health histories, symptoms, physical conditions, or other diagnostic information.
  • Educate patients and family members regarding prenatal, intrapartum, postpartum, newborn, or interconceptional care.
  • Document findings of physical examinations.
  • Order and interpret diagnostic or laboratory tests.
  • Provide primary health care, including pregnancy and childbirth, to women.
  • Consult with or refer patients to appropriate specialists when conditions exceed the scope of practice or expertise.
  • Perform physical examinations by taking vital signs, checking neurological reflexes, examining breasts, or performing pelvic examinations.
  • Prescribe medications as permitted by state regulations.
  • Provide patients with direct family planning services such as inserting intrauterine devices, dispensing oral contraceptives, and fitting cervical barriers including cervical caps or diaphragms.
  • Read current literature, talk with colleagues, or participate in professional organizations or conferences to keep abreast of developments in midwifery.
  • Establish practice guidelines for specialty areas such as primary health care of women, care of the childbearing family, and newborn care.
  • Conduct clinical research on topics such as maternal or infant health care, contraceptive methods, breastfeeding, and gynecological care.
  • Plan, provide, or evaluate educational programs for nursing staff, health care teams, or the community.

Source: O*NET OnLine information for Nurse Midwives.

  • Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
  • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
  • Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
  • Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
  • Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Source: O*NET OnLine information for Nurse Midwives.

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