CMs - which states?

[AlexisT]

Which states is the CM credential recognised in? I know New York does, but where else? I'm getting conflicting results off Google--no doubt because some of them are out of date (they say things like "as of 2000...") What's the likelihood of increased recognition?

(not directly pertinent to me; a friend of mine is thinking of going into midwifery and as she's in New York her choices are CM or graduate-entry CNM. I wasn't familiar with CMs at all before so started looking at it.)

[alegna]

Texas.

-Angela

[BeckiCNM]

New York, New Jersey, and Rhode Island - if you mean the CM from the ACNM/AMCB. I haven't heard of Texas having CMs.

The biggest hurdle is probably the fact that the majority of CNMs are licensed or regulated at least in part by a state board of nursing. Boards of nursing are not usually interested in regulating non-nurses. Which complicates things, because boards of nursing are often very supportive of promoting CNM practice, because it advances nursing practice in general.

[alegna]

Part of the problem is that everyone has different terminology. For a long time in TX they were "documented" not "certified"

There is a process to "certify" non CNM midwives in TX

-Angela

[onlyboys]

Hmmm. I've not heard of CMs being legal in TX.

I called the SUNY school to ask about which states certification is possible in and they told me New York. NY doesn't recognize the CPM at all, like most other states, so they created the CM route to appeal to those who don't want to be a nurse first. But, I spoke to them about a year and a half ago, so things might have changed.

[AlexisT]

Originally Posted by alegna

Part of the problem is that everyone has different terminology. For a long time in TX they were "documented" not "certified"

There is a process to "certify" non CNM midwives in TX

-Angela

In this case it's a specific credential from the ACNM--a CM has passed their exam, but isn't an RN. CNMs and CPMs are also certified, but they're not CMs.

NY, NJ and RI corresponds with one list I got. Thanks.

[alegna]

Gotcha.

-Angela

[GISDiva]

Midwives are now certified in Wisconsin, I don't know if it's the particular kind of certification you were looking for, I'm not up on my abbreviations.

[BeckiCNM]

Originally Posted by alegna

Part of the problem is that everyone has different terminology. For a long time in TX they were "documented" not "certified"

There is a process to "certify" non CNM midwives in TX

-Angela

There may be - but the state of Texas should not be calling them "certified midwives" unless they are meeting the ACNM requirements. I would bet the ACNM has a trademark or some legal protection on the title "certified midwife". If they don't, they should.

I was under the impression Texas called non-CNM midwives "licensed midwives."

Personally, I think the "name game" only hurts the profession as a whole. It would be nice to have things a little more uniform - it's just confusing.

[alegna]

Originally Posted by BeckiCNM

I was under the impression Texas called non-CNM midwives "licensed midwives."

Personally, I think the "name game" only hurts the profession as a whole. It would be nice to have things a little more uniform - it's just confusing.

I went and checked and you're correct. I know they've changed it a couple of times- hard to keep up with.

So in TX they're "licensed" (this year at least )

-Angela

[[e-mail]]

Originally Posted by GISDiva

Midwives are now certified in Wisconsin, I don't know if it's the particular kind of certification you were looking for, I'm not up on my abbreviations.

Any midwife who is certified by NARM or by the ACNM can qualify to become a Licensed Midwife in Wisconsin. So that includes CMs. However, Licensed Midwives have a more narrow scope of practice here than CNMs do--they can't prescribe medications or provide well-woman care, though they can dispense a limited number of medications under the authority of a licensed prescriber.

While LMs are required to collaborate with physicians or with CNMs when mothers develop certain risk factors, they aren't bound by a written contractual agreement. CNMs here, on the other hand, must practice according to a written agreement with a physician, who determines their practice protocols.

So someone considering becoming a CM credentialed by the ACNM could legally practice in WI, but they would have to weigh the benefits and restrictions attached to the scope of practice for LMs vs. those for CNMs.

Katie Prown
Legislative Chair
Wisconsin Guild of Midwives