For Nurses

Nurse-Midwifery: A Natural Fit for Nurses

Interested in expanding your professional role to providing primary care for women and their newborns? Midwifery education is the next step for you!

Scope of Practice

The skills, knowledge, and expertise you’ve acquired in your nursing education are a solid foundation for a career in nurse-midwifery. As a certified nurse-midwife (CNM), you will be qualified to manage prenatal, delivery, and postpartum care. You will also be able to provide most of the primary care, family planning and gynecological needs of women throughout the lifespan.

Education Requirements

To become a CNM, you’ll need to earn a graduate degree from an ACNM Division of Accreditation (DOA) accredited midwifery program. Midwifery education programs are located throughout the U.S. Many programs allow part-time study and others offer distance-based midwifery education.

After Graduation

All graduates of ACNM DOA accredited midwifery programs are eligible to take the national certification exam to become a CNM. CNMs are legally recognized to practice in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Midwifery education involves a graduate degree. ACNM does not endorse the proposal that a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree become the entry to practice requirement. For more information, see the ACNM Position Statement on Midwifery Education and the Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree.