Nurse Midwives Career
Nurse midwives take care of women, particularly in regards to reproductive health issues. If you choose this career, you might conduct gynecological exams, offer family planning services, and provide prenatal care. While mothers are delivering babies, you would provide labor support and status updates, manage emergency situations, repair lacerations and may provide assistance to doctors during cesarean births.
Nurse midwives can also provide care for new mothers and newborns for several weeks after the birth. This may include offering wellness care, monitoring baby’s early growth, supporting breast-feeding and educating patients on health care issues.
Nurse Midwives Career Snapshot
Nurse midwives may work in labor and delivery units of hospitals, in conjunction with an OB/GYN, in a free-standing birth center or independently by providing home birth services. If you are a nurse midwife, your hours will vary by employer or by the number of patients you choose to accept. Although office schedules may be regular, hours can be long, unpredictable and demanding when your patients are in labor.
Further details on a career as a nurse midwife are listed below (statistics from the May 2015 Bureau of Labor Statistics and Onet Online):
is the average yearly salary for nurse midwives.
increase in employment between 2014 and 2024.
have a Master’s degree, 11% have a Post-Master’s certificate.
Nurse Midwives Education
Nurse midwives typically require a master’s degree. Some will go on to receive a post-masters certificate or a post-baccalaureate certificate as well. If you choose to be a nurse midwife, you will probably join associations, which will provide continuing education and give you the opportunity to earn additional certifications throughout your career.
Nurse Midwives Job Outlook
The job outlook for nurse midwives is positive, projected to grow 31 percent from 2014 to 2024. This above-average job growth is the result of a greater demand for healthcare services and more insured women due to related legislation. An increased desire for more natural births may also contribute to nurse midwife job growth.
Nurse Midwives Salaries
The average annual salary for nurse midwives was $92,510 in May 2015 according to the BLS.gov. If you go into this field, the lower salary limit is around $71,530 and if you are top-paid, you could earn upwards of $171,560.
Nurse Midwives Job Duties
Nurse midwives often care for women before, during and after childbirth. As a nurse midwife, you would provide general wellness support and care in regards to women’s reproductive health. Some duties may include prenatal exams, nutrition and dietary education during pregnancy and prenatal test administration. During labor, you will monitor progress, provide support, assist with medication or pain relief, and deliver babies. After delivery, you may help new mothers with basic newborn care, monitor apgar scores and ensure newborn screenings and exams are conducted on time.
Nurse Midwives Skills & Traits
| Nurse Midwives Skill Set: | Required Abilities: | Tools Used by Nurse Midwives: | Typical Work Activities: |
|---|---|---|---|
| • Active Listening • Critical Thinking • Social Perceptiveness • Speaking • Active Learning | • Deductive Reasoning • Oral Comprehension • Oral Expression • Problem Sensitivity • Written Comprehension | • Blood pressure cuff Electronic medical thermometers • Floor grade forceps • Lancets • Medical oxygen masks | • Caring for others • Recording information • Getting information • Decision making • Using relevant knowledge |
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