Nurse midwives are RNs with advanced education in prenatal, labor and delivery, and postpartum care.
In addition to pregnancy related care, most nurse midwives also provide primary care services such as nutrition counseling, family planning care, gynecological services, and management of common illnesses for their female clients. In order to practice in North Carolina, nurse midwives must be certified through the American College of Nurse Midwives and hold a current license as a registered nurse in order to obtain an approval to practice and have prescriptive authority. The North Carolina Center for Nursing surveyed each of these CNMs during March and April, 1999. The information presented here is a summary of findings from that survey. The remainder, although not actively involved in deliveries, provide direct patient care in the areas of prenatal and postpartum care, family planning, and in other areas of women's health.