Nurse Midwives

Also called: Certified Midwife, Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM), Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM), Certified Nurse-Midwife, Certified Professional Midwife

Nurse Midwives

Varies

estimated salary

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.

 

 

  • Monitor fetal development by listening to fetal heartbeat, taking external uterine measurements, identifying fetal position, or estimating fetal size and weight.
  • Initiate emergency interventions to stabilize patients.
  • Provide prenatal, intrapartum, postpartum, or newborn care to patients.
  • Explain procedures to patients, family members, staff members or others.
  • Develop and implement individualized plans for health care management.
  • Order and interpret diagnostic or laboratory tests.
  • Document findings of physical examinations.
  • Educate patients and family members regarding prenatal, intrapartum, postpartum, newborn, or interconception care.
  • Document patients' health histories, symptoms, physical conditions, or other diagnostic information.
  • Write information in medical records or provide narrative summaries to communicate patient information to other health care providers.
  • 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.
  • Manage newborn care during the first weeks of life.
Work Context
  • Face-to-Face Discussions — 98% responded "Every day".
  • Telephone — 90% responded "Every day".
  • Physical Proximity — 92% responded "Very close (near touching)".
  • Contact With Others — 82% responded "Constant contact with others".
  • Freedom to Make Decisions — 79% responded "A lot of freedom".
  • Indoors, Environmentally Controlled — 92% responded "Every day".
  • Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets — 82% responded "Every day".
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Work Activities
  • Assisting and Caring for Others — Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
  • Documenting/Recording Information — Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
  • Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge — Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the Public — Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
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Detailed Work Activities
  • Provide health and wellness advice to patients, program participants, or caregivers.
  • Care for women during pregnancy and childbirth.
  • Record patient medical histories.
  • Examine patients to assess general physical condition.
  • Measure the physical or physiological attributes of patients.
  • Test patient nervous system functioning.
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Knowledge

Medicine and Dentistry
  • Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
Psychology
  • Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
English Language
  • Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
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Skills

Active Listening
  • Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking
  • Talking to others to convey information effectively.
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.
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Abilities

Oral Comprehension
  • The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Written Comprehension
  • The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Oral Expression
  • The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Deductive Reasoning
  • The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
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Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out.
They do well at jobs that need:
  • Achievement/Effort
  • Persistence
  • Initiative
  • Leadership
  • Cooperation
  • Concern for Others
  • Social Orientation
  • Self Control
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Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Office suite software
  • Microsoft Office Hot Technology
Medical software
  • Acrendo Medical Software Ob/Gyn EMR
  • Medscribbler Enterprise
  • MicroFour PracticeStudio.NET EMR
  • NextGen Healthcare Information Systems EMR
  • Practice Partner Total Practice Partner
  • SOAPware EMR
  • StatCom Patient Flow Logistics Enterprise Suite
  • SynaMed EMR
  • Greenway Medical Technologies PrimeSUITE
  • GE Healthcare Centricity EMR
  • Allscripts Professional EHR
  • Amkai AmkaiCharts
  • Bizmatics PrognoCIS EMR
  • Cerner Millennium
  • ChartWare EMR
  • digiChart OB-GYN
  • e-MDs software
  • eClinicalWorks
  • Texas Medical Software SpringCharts EMR