Looking for a way to advance your nursing career?
Want more job stability and compensation?
If so, then you may be interested in Nurse-Midwifery (CNM), a specialized form of nursing, involving post and pre-natal care.
While you could still help with deliveries as an RN, being a CNM allows you to provide specialized care for mothers and their babies.
So, if you want guidance on how to become a nurse midwife (CNM) in Vermont, then keep on reading.
We’ll tell you everything you need to know about the CNM licensure process, dividing it into 4 easy steps!
We’ll even answer some FAQs to help you out in the journey.
Are you ready? Let’s dive in.
How to Become a Nurse Midwife in Vermont in 4 Steps
Given that the process of becoming a CNM can take many years, it’s best to start the process with an overview of the requirements.
Here’s a brief rundown of all the steps you’ll need to go through to get registered in Vermont:
Step #1: Meet All the Prerequisites
Step #2: Take a Master’s Degree in Nurse-Midwifery
Step #3: Pass the National Nurse-Midwife Certification Examination
Step #4: Apply for APRN Licensure with the Vermont Board of Nursing
Let’s take a closer look at each stage down below.
Step #1: Meet All the Prerequisites
Since nurse-midwifery is an advanced and specialized field of nursing, it demands a lot of studying and testing.
Before you can even start the process of becoming a CNM, you have to master some nursing basics.
You first need to be a Registered Nurse (RN), which in turn requires a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree to obtain.
Some CNM schools accept RNs who graduated with an Associate’s Degree in Nursing (ADN), while others require them to take a bridge program or finish some prerequisite subjects first.
For a more detailed article on how to become an RN in Vermont, you can read this.
Whether you take an ADN or BSN, it is important to maintain good grades since CNM schools will usually require a minimum GPA score when considering you for admission.
Some CNM schools also require at least one year of work experience as an RN before you can enroll in their CNM programs.
Step #2: Take a Master’s Degree in Nurse-Midwifery
If you’re already an RN, then the next step is to gain your Master’s in Nursing, with a specialization in Nurse-Midwifery.
The program you select has to be accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education (ACME) for you to qualify for certification.
Unfortunately, there are no CNM schools in Vermont. So, if you want to study face-to-face, you need to enroll in another state.
However, you can also opt for online classes since many ACME-accredited schools offer this option. They partner with local health institutions to facilitate your clinical exposure.
CNM courses usually consist of about 40-60 credits and around 1,000 hours of clinical exposure. It can take around 2 to 2 ½ years to complete if you’ll be doing it full-time.
Here you’ll be able to gain a greater understanding of nursing concepts, with more advanced courses building upon what you already know.
Some examples of areas you’ll be learning if you specialize in Nurse-Midwifery are:
- Newborn Care
- Midwifery Care During Pregnancy
- Ambulatory Care of Women
- Pharmacology
- Family Crisis Care
- Midwifery Care During Labor
Step #3: Pass the National Nurse-Midwife Certification Examination
After completing your Master’s Degree in Nursing with a specialization in Midwifery, you’ll be allowed to sit for the final Nurse-Midwife examinations.
The exam is conducted by the American Midwifery Certification Board (AMCB), which is in charge of Midwifery examinations across the US.
This allows Nurse-Midwives from any state to be permitted to work across the US.
To apply, you’ll need to fill out the application form and mail it to the address below,
AMCB
849 International Drive, Suite 120
Linthicum, MD 21090
Alternatively, the AMCB also permits online applications.
In Vermont, the exam is conducted at Burlington, but you could take it from any of the AMP testing centers throughout the US.
The final exam has 175 MCQs, which you’ll have 240 minutes to complete.
Here you’ll be quizzed on several areas in the following amounts updated for 2023:
- Antepartum – 21%
- Intrapartum – 21%
- Postpartum – 18%
- Newborn – 10%
- Well Woman/Gyn – 19%
- Women’s Health/Primary care – 11%
If you’re still looking for more information regarding examination procedures, or syllabus details consult the AMCB Certification Exam Candidate Handbook.
Step #4: Apply for APRN Licensure with the Vermont Board of Nursing
After you’ve successfully passed the examination and received your national certificate from the AMCB, you can now apply to become a CNM.
You must have an RN license from Vermont or a multi-state RN license from another compact state.
This is handled by the Vermont Board of Nursing, which requires you to fill out the Advance Practice Registered Nurse Application, to kickstart the application process.
The Vermont Board of Nursing also requires you to submit:
- Passport-size (2×2) photo
- Copy of driver’s license or government-issued ID or passport
- Completed Criminal Background Check
- Official transcripts of the nurse-midwifery program sent directly from the institution
- Copy of current CNM certification
- Completion of Transition to Practice
- If applicable, you also need to put in your DEA number.
- If you were licensed as an APRN in any other state, then you need to request your original state of licensure and your most current state of licensure to submit verification directly to the Board.
In Vermont, you’ll need to have a minimum of 1350 hours of clinical experience to become a Nurse-Midwife.
You’ll also have to pay an application fee of $75 online, after which you’ll receive confirmation of your approval within a month.
For more information on the process, you can go directly to the Vermont website.
If your application is accepted, you will be issued an APRN-CNM license! Congratulations!
This means that you can start working as a CNM.
Frequently Asked Questions About Becoming a CNM in Vermont
What does a CNM do?
A CNM or Certified Nurse Midwife is a licensed healthcare practitioner certified by the American Midwifery Certification Board to assist in post and prenatal care.
A CNM often finds work within teams of healthcare professionals, in hospitals or specialized child and mother care facilities.
While Midwives used to work at the homes of their patients, the modern certified nurse midwife can also be found in a hospital setting, working with mothers to ease their pregnancy process, and to help with delivery.
How much does the CNM test cost in Vermont?
The CNM examination is planned and operated by the American Midwifery Certification Board and costs $500. However, if you don’t make it on the first try, you can retake it with a fee of $350.
You’ll also have to pay a processing fee of $121.
How much does a CNM make annually in Vermont?
According to Incredible Health, a registered CNM can make an average annual salary of around $102,000 in 2022, which works out to around $42 per hour.
How long will it take to complete a CNM program in Vermont?
In Vermont, RNs will have to take the Master’s in Nursing which will take around 2 to 2 ½ years if you’re doing it full time.
However, considering the testing requirements and the minimum clinical hours required to get certified, the whole process can take 3 to 4 years, depending on how quickly you comply with requirements.
Conclusion
So there you have it! A complete 4-step guide to getting your CNM license in Vermont.
The process is time-consuming and will require significant dedication to become certified.
But if you’re passionate about the job and want to receive higher compensation and stability at the same time, then becoming a CNM will be worth it.
As a CNM, you could have a very meaningful and rewarding career.
So, what are you waiting for?
Follow our guide and you’ll be a CNM before you know it!
Enjoy the process.