Become a Midwife
- Practice environment in NJ:
Certified Nurse-Midwives (CNMs) and Certified Midwives (CMs) have accredited graduate education, received the same national certification, and possess identical scope of practice.
In New Jersey, CNMs and CMs are considered independent providers and are licensed and regulated by the Board of Medical Examiners. CNMs have prescriptive authority, meaning they can prescribe a full range of medications and order tests. Currently, CMs do not have prescriptive authority in NJ but can order tests such as laboratories, ultrasounds, and imaging studies following clinical practice guidelines. The ACNM NJ Affiliate is working toward approval of prescriptive privileges for CMs in NJ.
Most midwives work in hospitals or as part of a collaborative practice alongside physicians. Some CNMs provide care in free-standing birth centers and home births. There are also independent midwifery practices in New Jersey, which have agreements with hospitals or physicians when consultation or collaboration is needed. Up until 2020, CMs needed a waiver from the NJ Department of Health (DOH) to attend births in a hospital setting. In December of 2020, the DOH signed a universal waiver recognizing the practice of Certified Midwives in NJ. This universal waiver allows CMs the same authority to practice as CNMs in licensed facilities in the State.
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Steps After Graduation
