Irp-cdn.multiscreensite.com



What is a Certified Nurse Midwife and What Does It Mean to Receive Midwifery Care?What is a midwife?There are several different types of midwives – Certified Nurse Midwives, Direct Entry Midwives, Lay Midwives, Traditional Midwives, Certified Midwives, and Certified Professional Midwives. These titles are granted depending on the background, training, and education obtained and often determines the environment in which a midwife can practice. What doesn’t differ is the model of care – the Art of Midwifery – that every midwife strives to provide each woman and family that she/he serves. In this article we will explore Certified Nurse Midwives (CNM) – their training, education, and the care you can expect should you choose to utilize a CNM for your healthcare needs as a woman. CNMs are Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRN). The umbrella term APRN also includes Certified Nurse Practitioners, Clinical Nurse Specialists, and Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists – however, the focus of each APRN is different. Every APRN begins as a Registered Nurse by obtaining a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing and typically works for at least a few years before diving back into a Master’s degree which is necessary to become an APRN. With an additional two to three years of education and clinical training, a board exam, and licensure, a CNM is born. A CNM can then independently assess, diagnose, educate and treat women with various healthcare needs – consulting with a physician if needed. CNMs can practice in several environments such as the home, birth center, private or public clinics, and hospital settings. Here in Helena, CNMs practice in private clinic and hospital environments – providing patient visits in a clinic setting and providing services in the hospital for women needing care during childbirth.What does midwifery care look like?Now let’s dive into the details of midwifery care. What most people don’t know is that CNMs deliver healthcare for women of all ages from puberty to the silver-haired years. A CNM can offer everything from yearly exams, gynecological care, preconception care, family planning services, pregnancy, birth, and postpartum care, as well as manage care for women experiencing the health effects of menopause. Above, the Art of Midwifery was mentioned. This means that CNMs provide patient/woman-centered healthcare – focused on health education, disease prevention, building a trusting professional relationship, and developing the plan of care best suited for each unique individual. Within this model, the woman chooses what’s best for her with the expert guidance provided by her CNM. When discussing pregnancy, labor, birth and postpartum specifically, the main goal of CNM care is to help guide and facilitate the pregnancy and birth experience that each woman envisions for herself and family. A CNM does so by providing complete pregnancy care, including the usual prenatal visit schedule, testing, imaging, and labor/birth options. The education given throughout the journey of pregnancy and birth is what empowers women and their families to make their own choices. Therefore, whether a pregnant mother wants every test and ultrasound offered throughout pregnancy or picks and chooses what’s best for her, wants a medication free birth or not, or simply wishes someone else to decide what is best, her CNM is there to provide safe and thorough care every step of the way; Intervening only when necessary or desired by the mother. Similar care is afforded in the postpartum period. Who can receive midwifery care?Not all pregnant women qualify for CNM care since, in some instances, a mother’s health condition requires management by a physician. Examples of such conditions include those that may be present prior to pregnancy such as heart or kidney disease, cancer, diabetes, etcetera. Conditions that arise in pregnancy can also necessitate consultation with and/or transfer of care to a physician. In such cases, the CNM discusses the details with the pregnant woman and coordinates care with a physician she works in collaboration with. The best way to know if you can receive midwifery care is to find a midwife near you and schedule a visit. All women can obtain care with a CNM for non-pregnancy related healthcare needs. For more information about CNMs and midwifery care, please visit: . Written by Andraya Hitchner MSN, CNMMidwife at Helena’s Women’s Health Care Center ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download