We have put together a short presentation on the different types of midwives in HI, which you can view here.
There are three types of midwives who are nationally certified in the US. All of them have education and certification specifically in midwifery. CPMs and CMs are sometimes referred to as direct-entry midwives and they are licensed under the Hawaii Midwife Program. CNMs received a nursing education before they received midwifery education, and they are regulated under the Board of Nursing in Hawaii.
CM/CNMs are at minimum trained at a master’s level education and are primary care providers with a scope of practice that extends from puberty through end of life, and newborn care. CM/CNMs education and training meets and exceeds the ICM standards for education and competencies.
CPMs can have a personal experience educational route (experienced midwife), apprenticeship educational pathway (PEP process), or an accredited education (MEAC) that may result in a certificate, diploma, bachelors or masters in midwifery. To align with ICM standards for education, US MERA recommends all CPMs certified on or after January 1, 2020 have a MEAC accredited education.
Learn more about nationally certified midwives below:
Direct-Entry Midwives
A direct-entry midwife completed their education through a midwife program/pathway and has been nationally certified in midwifery.
- Certified Professional Midwife (CPM): A certified professional midwife has gained certification through examination from the North American Registry of Midwives (NARM). NARM defines a CPM as:
"a knowledgeable, skilled and professional independent midwifery practitioner who has met the standards for certification set by the North American Registry of Midwives (NARM) and is qualified to provide the Midwives Model of Care.”
The CPM credential requires knowledge about and experience in community settings.
CMs take the same national certification examination as CNMs but receive the professional designation of certified midwife.
Certified Nurse-Midwives
- CNM: Certified Nurse-Midwives are certified by the AMCB, the same body that certifies CMs. ACNM, the professional organization of CMs and CNMs, defines a CNM as:
"registered nurses who have graduated from a nurse-midwifery education program accredited by the ACME and have passed a national certification examination to receive the professional designation of certified nurse-midwife. Nurse-midwives have been practicing in the U.S. since the 1920s."
Certified-nurse midwives are licensed as advanced practice registered nurses in the State of Hawaii.