Nurse Midwives
Overview
Salary
Demand
Core Tasks
Technology Skills
Tools Used
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Top 10 Skills
Top 10 Abilities
Top 10 Work Activities
Detailed Work Activities
Work Context
Education
Majors
Interests
Top 10 Work Styles
Work Values
Related Careers
Overview
Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
Experience
Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Education
Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Job Training
Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Examples
These occupations often involve coordinating, training, supervising, or managing the activities of others to accomplish goals. Very advanced communication and organizational skills are required. Examples include pharmacists, lawyers, astronomers, biologists, clergy, neurologists, and veterinarians.
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.
Salary Salary
Salary at 10th Percentile: $67K
Salary at 25th Percentile: $91K
Median Salary: $111K
Salary at 75th Percentile: $136K
Salary at 90th Percentile: $179K
Demand
Core Tasks
Document patients' health histories, symptoms, physical conditions, or other diagnostic information.
Monitor fetal development by listening to fetal heartbeat, taking external uterine measurements, identifying fetal position, or estimating fetal size and weight.
Provide prenatal, intrapartum, postpartum, or newborn care to patients.
Develop and implement individualized plans for health care management.
Prescribe medications as permitted by state regulations.
Provide patients with direct family planning services, such as inserting intrauterine devices, dispensing oral contraceptives, and fitting cervical barriers, including cervical caps or diaphragms.
Explain procedures to patients, family members, staff members or others.
Initiate emergency interventions to stabilize patients.
Order and interpret diagnostic or laboratory tests.
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.
Provide primary health care, including pregnancy and childbirth, to women.
Write information in medical records or provide narrative summaries to communicate patient information to other health care providers.
Consult with or refer patients to appropriate specialists when conditions exceed the scope of practice or expertise.
Read current literature, talk with colleagues, or participate in professional organizations or conferences to keep abreast of developments in midwifery.
Instruct student nurse midwives, medical students, or residents on the birthing process.
Establish practice guidelines for specialty areas such as primary health care of women, care of the childbearing family, and newborn care.
Plan, provide, or evaluate educational programs for nursing staff, health care teams, or the community.
Conduct clinical research on topics such as maternal or infant health care, contraceptive methods, breastfeeding, and gynecological care.
Manage newborn care during the first weeks of life.
Technology Skills
Technology
Example
Hot Technology
Tools Used
Tool
Example
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Medicine and Dentistry
97%
Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
Psychology
87%
Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
Customer and Personal Service
84%
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
English Language
84%
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Biology
82%
Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
Sociology and Anthropology
77%
Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.
Therapy and Counseling
75%
Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
Education and Training
74%
Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Mathematics
63%
Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Law and Government
62%
Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
Top 10 Skills
Active Listening
83%
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Critical Thinking
83%
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Social Perceptiveness
83%
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Speaking
83%
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Active Learning
80%
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Monitoring
80%
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Reading Comprehension
80%
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Complex Problem Solving
78%
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Coordination
78%
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Service Orientation
78%
Actively looking for ways to help people.
Top 10 Abilities
Written Comprehension
85%
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Deductive Reasoning
83%
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Oral Comprehension
83%
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression
83%
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Problem Sensitivity
83%
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Inductive Reasoning
80%
The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Written Expression
80%
The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Near Vision
75%
The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Speech Clarity
75%
The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Speech Recognition
75%
The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Top 10 Work Activities
Assisting and Caring for Others
99%
Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
Documenting/Recording Information
97%
Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
Getting Information
96%
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
94%
Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems
93%
Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
92%
Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
92%
Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
91%
Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
86%
Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
84%
Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Detailed Work Activities
Care for women during pregnancy and childbirth.
Examine patients to assess general physical condition.
Measure the physical or physiological attributes of patients.
Record patient medical histories.
Administer basic health care or medical treatments.
Prescribe medications.
Develop medical treatment plans.
Explain medical procedures or test results to patients or family members.
Analyze test data or images to inform diagnosis or treatment.
Order medical diagnostic or clinical tests.
Treat medical emergencies.
Provide health and wellness advice to patients, program participants, or caregivers.
Test patient nervous system functioning.
Prepare reports summarizing patient diagnostic or care activities.
Inform medical professionals regarding patient conditions and care.
Collaborate with healthcare professionals to plan or provide treatment.
Refer patients to other healthcare practitioners or health resources.
Maintain medical or professional knowledge.
Train medical providers.
Teach medical procedures to healthcare personnel.
Establish nursing policies or standards.
Conduct health or safety training programs.
Conduct research to increase knowledge about medical issues.
Work Context
Face-to-Face Discussions
How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
Physical Proximity
To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks in close physical proximity to other people?
Contact With Others
How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
Electronic Mail
How often do you use electronic mail in this job?
Telephone
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
Frequency of Decision Making
How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
How much does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hard hats or life jackets?
Consequence of Error
How serious would the result usually be if the worker made a mistake that was not readily correctable?
Deal With External Customers
How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job?
Education
Majors
Major
Interests
Social
100%
Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
Investigative
58%
Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Realistic
48%
Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Enterprising
43%
Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Artistic
34%
Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
Conventional
19%
Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Top 10 Work Styles
Concern for Others
99%
Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Dependability
97%
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Stress Tolerance
97%
Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Integrity
96%
Job requires being honest and ethical.
Cooperation
94%
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Self Control
94%
Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Attention to Detail
93%
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Persistence
91%
Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
Adaptability/Flexibility
89%
Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Social Orientation
87%
Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
Work Values
Relationships
96%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Achievement
81%
Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Independence
77%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Recognition
72%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
Working Conditions
72%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Support
58%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
