Nurse Midwifery / WHNP Specialty

Midwifery Core

The midwifery program begins with an in-depth course on the health assessment of the midwifery adult client and newborn. The Fall quarter includes rotations through antepartum clinics, one half day a week as well as course work on the physiology of the antepartum period and the care of the prenatal client. The second quarter of course work focuses on the physiology and care of the intrapartum and postpartum client. Clinical rotations consist of one on-call rotation per week plus continued attendance at antepartum clinics. In the Spring the midwifery core focus turns to the care of the well woman in family planning and gynecology settings and care of the normal newborn. Students attend one half day a week clinics in these areas as well as continuing with their intrapartum on-call schedule. During the summer the curriculum includes course work on well woman care as well as a continuation of the spring quarter clinical rotations.

Second year content includes professional development and newborn complications. Through this entire curriculum the certificate and masters track students attend rotations and classes together. Then both tracks of students continue with their midwifery rotations in the second year: in the fall intrapartum rotations, in the winter antepartum and well woman clinics, and in the spring their integration rotation. The midwifery core coursework in the second year also includes role seminars, and coursework on nutrition.

The Primary Care Core - Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

The midwifery students also participate in the Primary Care Core Curriculum to prepare them to meet the primary care needs of the women they serve. This course work includes health assessment, health promotion and disease prevention, and the assessment and management of common signs and symptoms of common health problems. The students also take course work on pharmacology, mental health and nutrition as part of the primary care focus.

Students also take course work necessary to earn the masters degree. This includes courses on research and research utilization, nursing theory and ethics, the economics of health care, socio cultural aspects of health care and leadership. Many certificate students successfully challenge out of this curriculum.

Finally, MS students are required to complete the comprehensive exam paper, a pass/fail paper due at the end of the winter quarter.

The Master's Thesis is an option to completing the comprehensive examination paper in the School of Nursing. The thesis provides an opportunity for students to gain research experience by investigating a problem of interest within a limited time frame and under faculty supervision. No academic credit is awarded.