What is the mission of
the Nurse-Midwifery concentration?
The mission of the Nurse-Midwifery concentration is to
educate graduates to serve the needs of rural and under
served populations. To meet this mission, students must
expect to be placed outside of the Albuquerque metropolitan
area for 2/3 of the clinical rotations.
How do Nurse-Midwifery
graduates perform on the national certification examination?
Using the present Nurse-Midwifery curriculum, UNM has a
98% first-time pass rate. National rates are 88-90%.
What is the typical class
size?
The average class size of a nurse-midwifery class is 8 -
10 students.
I need to continue to work and be a part-time student in this program. How can I do this?
This is only a full-time program. Admitted students commit to finishing their course and clinical work in two years (six terms.) The program is very rigorous and students are strongly encouraged to NOT work in order to make themselves available for all learning experiences. Since the program requires rural site clinical placements, travel and a flexible student schedule preclude employment. Some applicants tell us "I worked while I did my undergraduate nursing program and got married and had kids. I'm sure this won't be much different. I've been blessed with a good brain, so I'm sure I'll be able to do it with a lot of planning and organization. " However, they state later they really had no idea of the challenges posed by graduate school and the taking-on of an independent practitioner role. Most quit work by Term 2 if not earlier. Successful students rally their personal, academic and financial support systems.
What kind of financial aid is available for Midwifery?
We are one of only a few totally state supported programs in the US. Because we are a state institution, tuition for a UNM nurse-midwifery education is one of the most reasonable in the country.
However, total educational costs should also include housing costs accrued in distant clinical sites. Occasionally, free student housing is provided in a community, but this is the exception rather than the rule.
Students in this program are discouraged from working during the school year because of clinical commitments and the very full time nature of this program. However, students who have clinicals in or close to Albuquerque sometimes are Teaching or Research Assistants. Many nurse-midwifery students are also eligible for the Federal nursing loan program, which pays a monthly educational stipend. Other financial aid opportunities include the New Mexico Health Service Corps and the US Public Health Service Corps, both of which have loan for service programs. The American College of Nurse Midwives also awards very competitive scholarships. Employees of local hospitals are also sometimes eligible for awards.
Out of state students can cut costs by:
Moving to New Mexico and establishing residency before beginning the program.
By taking N526
Pathophysiology in Advanced Practice Nursing and/or N543
Pharmacological Principles of Clinical Therapeutics on a
space-available basis. Students may take up to 9 credit
hours before declaring a major, and the total course of
study can take no longer than 7 years.
By becoming a Teaching Assistant or Research Assistant
during the first year.
By taking up to 9 hours of transferable MSN core classes in your home state before attending UNM.
The caveat regarding taking classes early is that in order to be eligible for student financial aid, students must take at least 6 credit hours/term. Federal financial aid requires 9 hrs/term. Federal nursing stipends come under this category.
If I live in a rural New Mexico community, do I have to move to Albuquerque to go to school?
Many students from rural areas of New Mexico have attended this program and kept their main residence in their home town. First term classes are web classes enabling students to live at home. All but one Term 2 classes are on the web as well. The one on the ground class and its lab are given on one day so that the student only spends this time in Albuquerque. During the clinical terms, the classroom teaching is grouped into 1-3 week long blocks interspersed with clinical blocks of 4-5 weeks. The faculty tries to provide a least 1/3 of a rural student’s clinical experience near the student's hometown. We believe that students from rural areas will likely start nurse-midwifery practices in these areas. Our students are pioneers.
Nearly a third of all births in New Mexico are attended by midwives. Why are CNMs so successful in New Mexico?
There are many contributing factors:
There is a very long history of midwifery in New Mexico beginning in the Spanish Colonial times with the use of traditional Hispanic Midwives (parteras). The first U.S. university-affiliated Nurse-Midwifery education program was the Catholic Maternity Institute (CMI) in Santa Fe.
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This building at 417 East Palace Avenue in Santa Fe was
the home of the Catholic Maternity Institute.
Under the leadership of the CMI midwives, the American College of Nurse-Midwives was incorporated in New Mexico in 1955. Midwifery has been a part of New Mexican cultural heritage for many generations.
The seal of the American College of Nurse
Midwives
showing its incorporation in New Mexico in 1955.
The New Mexico Department of Health's Maternal/Child Health Division supports the practices of and licenses Certified Nurse-Midwives and Licensed Midwives.
A strong, cohesive CNM presence at the UNM Department of OB/GYN's Division of Midwifery has educated several generations of physicians to support and value CNM care.
New Mexico was one of the first states to legislate third-party insurance reimbursement for CNMs, and Medicaid reimbursement for both CNMs and LMs.
Indian Health Service CNMs have made a positive impact on the care of this state's American Indians for many years.
The state chapter of the ACNM has embraced an inclusionary policy for all CNMs believing that there can never be too many choices for women in New Mexico.
Many CNMs are pioneers and understand that jobs are not found in the want ads but are MADE in places where no CNM has gone before.
A professional organization (ACNM V/I) that supports a strong nurse-midwifery culture, and where CNMs speak with one voice.
A fully funded Nurse-Midwifery education program that educates graduates to solve health care needs in this state.
Regarding the letter of
intent for midwifery, what is the faculty looking for?
Please discuss your “midwifery path.” We are looking for
applicants who are people of passion for this profession.
Our mission is to educate midwives for work with rural or
underserved populations. How do YOU meet our mission?
I understand that you
prefer Bachelor’s prepared applicants who have a year of
nursing experience before applying, but that you
occasionally admit a new graduate RN. Should I apply right
out of my RN program or should I get experience first?
Generally, we prefer that inexperienced RN applicants
have some experience with birth, womens' issues,
international health, public health etc. prior to obtaining
a nursing degree. Other successful applicants have about
been CPMs, doulas, lactation consultants, community
organizers, Peace Corps volunteers etc. Applicants with
decision-making experience and some work history are
preferred as well.
Inexperienced applicants should consider whether they are observational/hands-on learners. Such people often do better with some nursing experience before starting the program. Those who are visual (books) and auditory (classroom lecture) learners sometimes elect to apply without RN experience. Important skills acquisition needed by students before starting N550: Intrapartum Care in Term 5 are:
Familiarity with the process of birth (observations of childbirth) and the culture of intrapartum care in the hospital (sights, sounds, smells, intensity level)
Electronic fetal monitor (EFM) strip interpretation
Medications used in labor for pain, hemorrhage, tocolysis, induction etc
Psychological and physical support of a woman and her family in labor. (Can you labor-sit?)
Vaginal examination of the laboring woman (station/ effacement/ dilatation)
It is strongly encouraged that any student without these skills take an independent study credit during Term 4 to acquire them.
Some midwifery preceptors cannot precept a student who is inexperienced or who has no labor and delivery experience, and therefore, these students may have fewer clinical sites from which to choose.
New nurse graduates are often experienced test takers, are more familiar with academics (internet, word processing, research skills) and they usually qualify for larger financial aid than RNs with a larger income the year before starting the program. They may also more easily embrace the low tech/low intervention model and philosophy of nurse-midwifery care than RNs who have only been employed in high-risk tertiary care centers for most of their careers.
Experienced RNs are usually more adept at routines, use of technology and more understanding and tolerant of the hospital birth culture. Their learning curve may not be as steep in relation to new manual skill acquisition.
How does the UNM
midwifery education program rank among other US programs?
US News and World Reports has ranked the UNM nurse-midwifery
education program THIRD in the US since April 2002!
