Trends in Practice Patterns and Perspectives of Colorado Certified Nurse-Midwives.
Healthcare resources are stretched perilously thin and the demand for primary healthcare services has never been greater. Despite this demand for service, relatively little is known about the practice environment of primary healthcare providers, particularly certified nurse-midwives (CNMs), where workforce surveys frequently include these specialists within the broader nurse practitioner category. A distinct professional discipline, nurse-midwives are one type of primary care provider recommended to enhance access to services. The objective of this study was to understand the nature of the nurse-midwifery practice environment in the state of Colorado. Online survey of Colorado CNMs (N = 328) found little ethnic/racial diversity and an aging workforce, with most providing care in an urban, hospital/medical center environment. Several key legislative issues were identified though respondents felt ill prepared to engage in legislative change. Overall, CNMs were optimistic about the future of midwifery and were largely satisfied with their practice.
Baylor University, Louise Herrington School of Nursing, Dallas, TX, USA Marie_Hastings-Tolsma@baylor.edu.
Marie
M
Hastings-Tolsma
Frontier Nursing University, Hyden, KY, USA.
Tanya
T
Tanner
School of Nursing, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
Jennifer G
JG
Hensley
College of Nursing, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, CO, USA.
Jessica
J
Anderson
Kaiser Permanente Colorado, Louisville, CO, USA.
Elisa
E
Patterson
School of Nursing, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, CO, USA.
Kathleen N
KN
Dunemn
College of Nursing, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, CO, USA.
Susan K
SK
Purcell
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002568:Certification; D003120:Colorado; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D008880:Midwifery / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009721:Nurse Midwives / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D057184:Practice Patterns, Nurses' / Q000639:trends*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
compensation and benefits; healthcare workforce; nurse-midwives; survey