Advancing your career in nursing is one of the most rewarding and exciting times you’ll ever have.
Aside from getting a higher salary, you get to practice a specific field of nursing you’re interested in!
One of the specializations you can take is nurse midwifery.
Contrary to what we usually think, being a certified nurse midwife (CNM) is more than just assisting women in giving birth.
CNMs also provide prenatal, delivery, postpartum, and reproductive care and guidance to women. As a CNM, you’ll be present in all stages of a woman’s pregnancy. And since there have been more pregnancies recently, your services will be in demand.
To become a CNM in Ohio, however, there are several steps you need to go through, such as graduating with another degree.
However, preparing to be a CNM is more than just completing more years of study.
We’ll be listing below everything you need to know about how to become a nurse midwife (CNM) in Ohio, such as the required coursework, the application forms and fees, and some FAQs.
Ready?
Let’s get right to it!
How to Become a Certified Nurse Midwife in Ohio in 4 Steps
CNMs are considered Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs).
This means you first have to become a Registered Nurse (RN). If you want to find out how to become an RN in Ohio, you can read this guide.
For those who are already RNs, these are the 4 steps to becoming a CNM:
- Step #1: Earn at least a Master’s Degree in Nurse Midwifery
- Step #2: Take and Pass the National Certification Examination
- Step #3: Complete your APRN – CNM License Application in Ohio
- Step #4: Practice as a CNM and Renew Your License
Step #1: Earn at least a Master’s Degree in Nurse Midwifery
The first and longest undertaking in becoming a CNM is completing the educational requirements.
Since midwifery is a nursing specialization, you need to get at least a master’s degree in midwifery before you proceed to the next steps.
This usually takes about 1.5 to 2 years, depending on your chosen program.
For those who are working students, it can stretch up to 3 years. But at least you get to keep learning while pursuing a better career.
Accredited Programs
Just make sure that the program you enroll in is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education (ACME).
There are currently 3 ACME-accredited midwifery programs in Ohio:
- Case Western Reserve University Frances Payne Bolton located in Cleveland
- Ohio State University located in Columbus
- University of Cincinnati located in Cincinnati
Admission Requirements
Before enrolling, you would need to have the following for a speedier process:
- Valid and unencumbered RN license
- A Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree
- At least 1 year of RN working experience (best to highlight exposure to midwifery experience, if any)
- Minimum undergraduate GPA
- Minimum GRE score
- Letters of recommendation
CNM Program Content
Whatever the school or program you enlist for, expect that you’ll be having the following courses:
- Advanced Midwifery Role Development
- Antepartum care
- Care of the Newborn
- Health Assessment
- Intrapartum, postpartum and newborn care
- Integration and professional issues for nurse-midwifery
- Pathophysiology and Research
- Pharmacotherapeutics
- Well-woman care for nurse-midwifery
Aside from these theoretical classes, you are expected to have clinical practice prior to your formal application. Usually, schools would include the 1,000-hour practice prerequisite in their programs.
However, if you choose to study online, you can reach out to these clinics to get your clinical rotations:
- Comprehensive Women’s Care, Columbus
- MacDonald Women’s Hospital, Cleveland
- Mercy Women’s Care – St. Charles, Oregon
- Midwives of Dayton, Washington Township
- Ohio State Center for Women’s Health, Columbus
- Suma Health System, Women’s Center, Wadsworth
Educational Tracks
There are several ways you can also get your master’s degree, depending on the educational attainment you already have.
Here are the 4 tracks students can choose from:
- BSN to MSN: These are for RNs with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree. This is the most straightforward track. They can more easily enroll in a master’s degree since most CNM schools require a BSN.
- RN to MSN: Are you an RN with an Associate’s Degree rather than a Bachelor’s Degree? You can take up an RN to MSN bridge program (with BSN courses). These programs usually span at least 3 years.
- Post Graduate Certification: This track is taken by those with MSN degrees without an APRN or specialization yet.
- Dual Specialization: Already have a current APRN license, but want to practice midwifery? You can get dual specialization!
Step #2: Take and Pass the National Certification Exam
Finally, done with your master’s degree?
Now it’s time to test how much you’ve learned and retained from all those years of learning!
The next step is to take the Nurse Midwifery Certification Examination which is administered by the American Midwifery Certification Board (AMCB).
All CNM applicants throughout the country are mandated to take this exam before proceeding to their state-level licensure applications.
The test has a total of 175 multiple-choice questions. Each examinee is given 4 hours to answer and review their work.
You will need to take the exam at a local testing center. And yes, no online tests are permitted.
To schedule your exam and search for the centers’ exact location, you can head over to the Applied Measurement Professionals (APM) website. Here are the areas that have testing centers in Ohio:
- Brook Park
- Cincinnati
- Columbus
- Dayton
- Toledo
For more information on how to apply for the exam and the exam content, you can head over to the AMCB’s Candidate Handbook.
Step #3: Complete Your APRN-CNM application in Ohio
Now that you are nationally certified by the AMCB, you can apply for your CNM license from the Ohio Board of Nursing.
Your CNM license falls under the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) license application.
You need to submit the following to the Ohio Board of Nursing:
- Official transcripts from an accredited nurse midwifery program. The transcript must reflect an advanced pharmacology course completed within the last five years. (This should be emailed from your school directly to the Board).
- Verification of CNM certification (sent directly from the AMCB to the Board)
- Continuing education in Ohio law and rules that govern schedule II prescribing if you completed an APRN program not located in Ohio)
- Court documents or other information, if applicable
- A payment of $150 made payable to the Treasurer, State of Ohio, for your application fee
If you are a CNM from another state, you can also apply for an Ohio APRN license by reciprocity or endorsement.
To apply through reciprocity, you will need to submit the following:
- Two hours of continuing education in Ohio laws that govern drugs and prescriptive authority
- Official transcript showing a master’s or doctoral degree and an advanced pharmacology course (emailed directly from your CNM program to the Board)
- Documentation of prescribing in another jurisdiction for a continuous period of 1 year within the last 3 years, including some controlled substances
- Verification of CNM certification (sent directly from the AMCB to the Board)
- Filled-up Application for Endorsement, including payment of $150 application fee
- Court documents or other information, if applicable
You can find more details about the license requirements on the BON website.
Once your application is approved, you will receive your APRN-CNM license in Ohio!
Step #4: Practice as a CNM and Renew Your License
Congratulations! You can now practice as a CNM in Ohio!
And if you’re wondering where you can start working, well there are a lot of options!
You can get into hospitals, women’s health clinics, private OB/GYN practices and clinics, and even birthing centers.
Here are some of the clinics many CNMs go to in Ohio:
- Mahoning Valley Birth Center, Youngstown
- Center for Humane Options in Childbirth Experiences, Columbus
- Family Birthing Center, Chippewa Lake
- Mercy Medical Center, Canton
- Women’s Health & Birth Center, Steubenville
- Ann Burba Crane Center for Women and Babies, Columbus
- Firelands Birthing Center, Sandusky
While you’re enjoying your new career, don’t forget to keep your license active!
In Ohio, you need to renew your license on or before every July 1 of odd-numbered years.
You can read this guide for more information on the CE hours you need to fulfill.
Frequently Asked Questions about Becoming a CNM in Ohio
How much do CNMs earn in Ohio?
Based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics, CNMs in this state earn a mean salary of $124,560 annually.
The range is from $79,710 to $159,550 depending on your tenure, your performance, what city you are in, what facility you work in, etc.
Which areas in Ohio offer the highest pay?
The top 3 areas in terms of salary are Toledo, Columbus, and Cleveland.
Conclusion
There you have it!
There are only 4 key steps you need to go through to become a CNM in Ohio.
Although the process can seem long due to the educational requirements, we know that it’ll be worth it in the end.
Just make sure to enroll in an accredited program and complete the necessary paperwork so your application runs smoothly.
Having a guide like this ensures that you are not missing out on anything that would delay or hinder your application.
So follow our guide step-by-step and you’ll be a CNM in no time.
We hope this article helps. Enjoy the journey!