The Nurse-Midwifery program prepares graduates for certification as certified nurse-midwives (CNM) by the American Midwifery Certification Board. This role encompasses a full range of primary health care services for women from adolescence beyond menopause. These services include the independent provision of primary care, gynecologic and family planning services, preconception care, care during pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period, care of the normal newborn during the first 28 days of life, and treatment of male partners for sexually transmitted infections.

The program strives to prepare compassionate, skilled clinician-scholars willing to address the issues that affect the lives of women. Faculty members expect students to develop a strong evidence base for practice, exhibit excellent skills in clinical decision making, achieve competence, and gain confidence in their nurse-midwifery practice and embody a perspective of women’s health in the context of family and society.

A substantial portion of clinical learning in the program occurs in the context of the nurse-midwifery faculty practice at OHSU, staffed by senior nurse-midwifery faculty and dedicated to the education of nurse-midwifery students. Students receive experience in group prenatal care and water birth while providing care to a diverse population of women. Other clinical opportunities are provided in community health centers, health maintenance organizations, migrant health clinics and private practices. Students receive at least 1,240 hours of supervised clinical practice in the DNP program.

The nurse-midwifery faculty believes that excellence in practice is built on a foundation of relevant scientific evidence informed by the ancient and gentle art of midwifery. The practice of nurse-midwifery will not be advanced without attention to the development of midwifery scholarship to guide its practitioners. It is incumbent on nurse-midwives to document the efficacy of their model of care.

In addition to meeting the DNP student learning outcomes, the outcomes for students at the completion of the OHSU School of Nursing nurse-midwifery program include:

1. Demonstrate the independent management of primary health screening and health promotion of women from the perimenarcheal through postmenopausal periods.
2. Demonstrate the independent management of women during pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period.
3. Demonstrate the independent management of the care of the well newborn during the first 28 days of life.
4. Evaluate, utilize, interpret and collaborate in research.
5. Demonstrate professional accountability through collaborative communication and ethical principles in the provision of midwifery care to women and their families.
6. Demonstrate an understanding of the concepts of health care principles and a familiarity with the American College of Nurse Midwives standards for the practice of midwifery and code of ethics.
7. Demonstrate critical thinking and clinical judgement in the practice of clinical midwifery.
8. Apply interpersonal and communication skills to care for diverse populations of women and their families.
9. Demonstrate development of leadership skills directed toward representation of the midwifery model of care in clinical practice, health policy, education and scholarship.
10. Generate entry level practice scholarship through the completion of a clinical practice improvement project based on the principles of improvement science.