Once you obtain your nursing degree and begin working in the field, you might begin experiencing a nudge to evolve in your career and take on new responsibilities. Something unique about nursing degrees is they can quickly become something else, offering you new medical experiences and a chance at career growth.

One of the next layers is obtaining formal training and education to become a certified nurse midwife, especially if you’ve enjoyed your previous experience working in a maternity ward. Below, we explore the top eight reasons to become a certified nurse midwife. You’ll be ready to make moves in your career without hesitation with this information.

The Job Role Features Many Duties

Something unique about being in the medical field, in general, is how many job duties and responsibilities there are on any given day. Being a certified nurse midwife is no different. There is no shortage of variables while on the job. Each appointment, each week, might require a CNM to complete different duties depending on their patient’s needs. This task variability and need for flexibility appeal to many medical professionals looking to forgo the mundane and remain interested in their careers. A few examples of the various CNM roles include the following:

• Assist with patient diet plans.
• Accompany birth classes with patients.
• Offer Doppler readings.
• Counsel family members.

It’s essential to note these items account for only a few job demands, and a CNM may need to offer more hands-on care from time to time.

Livable Earnings Potential

Something at the forefront of everyone’s minds is their earnings potential. Certified nurse midwives are no exception, and with flexible scheduling, the earnings are well worth the training and education. The average salary for a certified nurse midwife is currently just a little over $100,000.

Various items play a role in overall pay scales, including training, education levels, demographics, and experience. However, nurses who want to become CNMs can rest assured knowing they will receive fair compensation for their efforts, generally speaking. What’s more, the above salary is typically the baseline, meaning CNMs could receive more earnings with continued certifications, leadership roles, or taking on the responsibility of opening a birth center.

Work Locations Can Vary

Most medical professionals work in a few primary locations and offer their patients a safe, stable environment for each appointment. And while it’s true that certified nurse midwives will also use primary locations to offer care, they will also travel more and experience more flexibility in their work locations. This location variability results from a CNM’s differing duties and responsibilities from patient to patient, so having flexibility in working locations is vital to ensure the CNM meets each patient’s needs.

CNMs can visit a patient’s home for care, work out of a birth center, accompany them to the local hospital, or set up their own office for basic appointment needs. Flexibility and demands are ever-evolving, including CNMs’ work locations.

Create One-of-a-Kind Patient Experiences

Many medical professionals genuinely feel like what they do matters, especially when they get the opportunity to create customized, individual patient care experiences. These one-of-a-kind experiences are more important than ever in the maternity field.

Each pregnancy and delivery are different, and each birth parent’s needs are individual. CNMs shape the parents’ experiences and create something unique when they have the chance to make a difference in a family’s lives and outcomes.

Nurturing Patient Relationships

The ability to connect with the parent(s) and nurture long-term, unique patient relationships is incredibly rewarding for all midwives. Certified nurse midwives spend so much time with their patients and families from pregnancy to childbirth and even during the first few weeks of postpartum. Midwives and patients get the privilege of bonding and developing long-term friendships and relationships during this time. And chances are, when a family decides to try for another baby, they hire the same midwife because they’ve already established a bond.

Become a Women’s Health Advocate

Becoming a women’s health advocate is easy when you become a certified midwife or nurse midwife. Advocating for women’s health is an open-door opportunity to assist families in understanding obstetric health issues and a range of gynecological issues. Midwives can host group meetings that explore, discuss, and hold space for all types of concerns and questions, allowing attendees to learn and midwives to advocate. There is an endless list of women’s health topics midwives can specialize in, and it’s an excellent opportunity to be a leader in the community.

Flexible Work Schedule

With the wide range of responsibilities and patient demands, naturally, certified nurse midwives experience flexibility in their day-to-day work schedules. What contributes to this flexibility is the fact that midwives will take on a few patients at a time, ensuring each receives the individual care they deserve without feeling rushed or forced.

The work hours might also experience more fluctuation as a patient nears their delivery window. Running an on-call system can ensure patients receive the care they need regardless of the time of day. Once a patient gives birth, it’s common for midwives to take some time off to help the birth parents through the transition and regroup before beginning work with someone new.

Ample Job Opportunities

Many seek the duties of a midwife, leading to a boom in the profession. More families opting for a midwife over standard obstetric care are creating new demand in the field, opening more job opportunities. Certified nurse midwives have the unique honor of engaging with a family for prenatal and postnatal care while assisting in subsequent labor and deliveries.

Additionally, midwives can perform primary health care needs to birth parents and offer their care in medical facilities, birth centers, hospitals, or private practices. The future of this career is one of the best reasons to become a certified nurse midwife, as the possibilities seem to be endless.

At Cascade Health Care, we value the work of every certified midwife and certified nurse midwife. We believe in the power and purpose of these distinct individuals and the invaluable work they provide to their communities and patients. We support the need for midwives with a comprehensive selection of professional midwifery supplies, helping to ensure your success and your patients’ health and well-being. Shop our complete inventory today to get started!