Nurse Midwife

Diagnose and coordinate all aspects of the birthing process, either independently or as part of a healthcare team. May provide well-woman gynecological care. Must have specialized, graduate nursing education.

O*NET reports this occupation under titles such as: Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM); Nurse Midwife; Staff Certified Nurse Midwife; Staff Nurse Midwife

Tasks

• Provide prenatal, intrapartum, postpartum, or newborn care to patients.
• Monitor fetal development by listening to fetal heartbeat, taking external uterine measurements, identifying fetal position, or estimating fetal size and weight.
• Document patients' health histories, symptoms, physical conditions, or other diagnostic information.
• Provide patients with direct family planning services, such as inserting intrauterine devices, dispensing oral contraceptives, and fitting cervical barriers, including cervical caps or diaphragms.
• Prescribe medications as permitted by state regulations.
• Develop and implement individualized plans for health care management.
• Explain procedures to patients, family members, staff members or others.
• Order and interpret diagnostic or laboratory tests.
• Initiate emergency interventions to stabilize patients.
• Document findings of physical examinations.
• Educate patients and family members regarding prenatal, intrapartum, postpartum, newborn, or interconception care.
• Perform physical examinations by taking vital signs, checking neurological reflexes, examining breasts, or performing pelvic examinations.
• Write information in medical records or provide narrative summaries to communicate patient information to other health care providers.
• Provide primary health care, including pregnancy and childbirth, to women.
• Consult with or refer patients to appropriate specialists when conditions exceed the scope of practice or expertise.

Knowledge

• Medicine and Dentistry
• Psychology
• Customer and Personal Service
• English Language
• Biology
• Sociology and Anthropology
• Therapy and Counseling
• Education and Training
• Mathematics
• Law and Government

Skills

• Active Listening
• Speaking
• Critical Thinking
• Reading Comprehension
• Active Learning
• Monitoring
• Writing
• Learning Strategies

Abilities

• Written Comprehension
• Oral Comprehension
• Oral Expression
• Problem Sensitivity
• Deductive Reasoning
• Written Expression
• Inductive Reasoning
• Near Vision
• Speech Recognition
• Speech Clarity
• Information Ordering
• Category Flexibility
• Selective Attention
• Fluency of Ideas
• Memorization
• Flexibility of Closure
• Perceptual Speed
• Time Sharing
• Arm-Hand Steadiness
• Originality
• Speed of Closure
• Visualization
• Manual Dexterity
• Finger Dexterity