Introduction
Over the last few decades, nursing has increasingly become one of the most vital fields in education and practice, given the important roles that nurses perform for the betterment of society. Indeed, nurses are the main drivers of public health and without their services; society would face a critical health challenge (Carranza et al., 2021). Nurses are the individuals at the forefront of the provision of care to every citizen in the country. Indeed, the U. S. News & World Report has ranked nurse practitioner as the third-best career in the country (Carranza et al., 2021). As the field grows and the healthcare needs continue to increase, it has become necessary for nursing to have specialists in different subfields to meet the demands.
Over the last few decades, the field has seen an emergence of various specialties as the division of labor and specialization in nursing has become necessary. Currently, there are more than 20 different nursing specialties, with different schools of nursing providing multiple within their curriculums (Carranza et al., 2021). Aspiring nurses have the freedom to consider one or more specialties. Nevertheless, these specialties have different requirements, curriculums, registration bodies, regulations, opportunities, workplace environments, market demands, and advantages and disadvantages as well (Geller & Swan, 2021). For discussion and personal interest, this paper reviews the existing similarities and differences between FNP and CNM specialties in nursing.
Similarities and Differences between FNP and CNM Specialties
Specialization and Roles
A family nurse practitioner (FNP) is educated to treat a wide range of patients, ranging from infants to seniors. Consequently, FNPs provide care throughout the lifetime of a person. In most cases, they provide care for the entire family (Hassmiller & Pulcini, 2020). They are professional nurses with the ability to develop long-term medical relationships with patients and their families because they are qualified to treat people at different stages of life.
Part of the wide roles of the FNPs is to educate patients and their families about various aspects of medical care such as preventive care. For instance, an FNP can determine that such diseases as obesity, cancer, cardiac diseases, or hypertension could be an issue in a family (Hassmiller & Pulcini, 2020). Therefore, he or she can design a plan to work with the family and develop health strategies to prevent the identified disease (Geller & Swan, 2021). For example, the intervention can be better eating habits and nutrition as well as changing lifestyle or adopting active exercise schedules.
For patients with chronic diseases and conditions such as arthritis in seniors or cancer, it is the role of the FNP to offer pain management strategies to refer them to specialists in the specific condition. In some American states, FNPs are certified to provide prescriptions without the need for the oversight of a physician (Hassmiller & Pulcini, 2020). In other states, however, they must collaborate with physicians to design and develop medical plans and interventions for their patients.
On their part, nurses with certified nurse-midwife (CNM) qualifications are highly trained healthcare professionals whose role is to provide care for women. It is worth noting that they are not only trained to provide care to women only during pregnancy but from adolescence through the end of life (Geller & Swan, 2021). The specific area of specialization is women’s reproductive health and childbirth (Geller & Swan, 2021). An array of roles falls under this area of specialization and includes attending births, performing annual exams, writing prescriptions, and providing counseling services.
In addition, CNMs perform gynecological exams, provide parent education, prenatal care, and family planning, and give primary care for reproductive health. Measuring fetal development, a very vital task in healthcare is within the large array of roles for CNMs (Geller & Swan, 2021). The increasing roles of CNMs also include educating expectant and new parents on matters of nutrition, offering training programs, maintaining records and collaborating with other professionals, and giving intrapartum, prenatal, postpartum, and newborn care.
It is also important to note that CNMs are increasingly being involved in keeping scientific breakthroughs in birth-related medical and reproductive procedures. About 53% of CNMs in the country identify women’s reproductive care as their main area of specialization while about 33% work in the primary healthcare section (Geller & Swan, 2021). This is an important area of specialization within the nursing realm and in hospitals as more than 94% of all births occur in hospitals rather than homes. CNMs attend more than 300,000 births in the country every year and the number is rising, providing evidence of the important role than CNMs are continuing to play in the country’s healthcare sector (Geller & Swan, 2021). However, in five states New Jersey, New York, Missouri, Delaware, and Rhode Island, CNMs are yet to be recognized and only midwives perform these roles.
LACE
FNPs are specialized nurses who must possess more than one nursing certificate. First, one must obtain a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). After this, one must obtain the Registered Nursing License (RN) and practice as a nurse in a healthcare setting for at least one year (Hassmiller & Pulcini, 2020). This qualification requires the holder of the BSN to pass the NCLEX-RN exam offered by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) (Geller & Swan, 2021). To qualify as an FNP, the RN must take a Master’s Degree in Nursing (MSN), which must be accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
A similar path must be followed when one wants to become a CNM. First, one must have a BSN or an associate degree in nursing. The state nursing board also certifies this certificate. After this, the graduate must pass the NCLEX-RN exam to earn the RN certificate (Geller & Swan, 2021). Upon becoming an RN, the nurse must earn an experience of at least one year before seeking to become a CNM (Geller & Swan, 2021). A Master’s or Doctoral degree in nurse-midwifery is the next certificate that the aspiring nurse must earn to become a CNM and takes about two to three years to complete (Geller & Swan, 2021). Finally, the nurse must attain certification from the American Midwifery Certification Board to become a CNM.
Work Environment and Salary/Wages
FNPs can work in a wide range of workplaces such as hospitals, public clinics, private clinics, schools, and colleges, and their practices. It is worth noting that this profession focuses on families, which means that an FNP nurse can work at the community level. According to the U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS, 2020), FNPs have a median annual salary of about $109,820. However, they can command higher salaries with experience and expansion of their education in the field.
On their part, CNMs mostly work with women in hospitals, clinics, colleges, care homes, and at the community level. They are also free to start their services as long as they are licensed to do so in their states (Geller & Swan, 2021). According to BLS, CNMs have an annual average salary of about $96,800 (BLS, 2020). However, the salary can be expanded with experience and earning higher levels of education and qualifications.
Skill Set
Like many other professionals in the healthcare sector and particularly all nurses, FNPs and CNMs rely on common core skills that span the areas of communication, leadership, analysis, and technology. Both CNMs and FNPs must have strong communication skills, which are crucial when working with members of cross-functional or interprofessional teams, listening to patients’ concerns and problems, and explaining intervention plans. Both specialties also require analytical skills as the nurses must develop strategies and treatment plans designed to address their patients’ health issues (Carranza et al., 2021). They need to use analytical skills to monitor patient responses and assess intervention and treatment plans to determine their level of effectiveness. Leadership skills are necessary for both CNMs and FNPs because they must make informed medical decisions aligned with the patient’s healthcare goals (Geller & Swan, 2021). Furthermore, they must use leadership skills to educate and provide their patients, care providers, and families with guidance to help treat and manage health issues (Carranza et al., 2021). Finally, both CNMs and FNPs need to have knowledge and skills in the latest technology and trends that affect their work such as telehealth and electronic health records.
Career Prospectus
With a growing aging population across the country and the need for primary care providers in both rural and urban areas, there is a large demand for FNPs in the US. According to the BLS, employment for FNP nurses will increase by about 315 between 2016 and 2026 and probably beyond (BLS, 2020). In addition, BLS states that the average annual earning potential for FNPs and other nurses in the family care profession will exceed $110,000 (BLS, 2020). For CNMs, this is a relatively recent specialty within the realm of nursing. Indeed, only 10% of all births in the US are attended by midwives (BLS, 2020). Indeed, there were only about 11,470 CNMs in the country (BLS, 2020). However, there has been a growing interest among women to seek the services of CNMs and other types of midwives. For this reason, the employment of nurse midwives, including CNMs, is projected to grow by more than 45% between 2019 and 2029 (BLS, 2020). This growth is faster than the average of all other forms of occupations in the country.
Conclusion
This analysis shows that FNP and CNM specialties in nursing are vital to national healthcare because of the important work these professionals provide. Despite the differences, it is clear that both specialties are necessary for any hospital, clinic, and community setting. In addition, as the population grows and ages, both specialties will increase in terms of demand and remunerations for professionals (Geller & Swan, 2021). The LACE analysis shows that becoming an FNP or CNM is a long process that requires multiple academic, accreditation, and experience qualifications. Moreover, like many other professionals in the healthcare sector and particularly all nurses, FNPs and CNMs rely on common core skills that span the areas of communication, leadership, analysis, and technology (Geller & Swan, 2021). Furthermore, both specialties involve multiple roles and workplaces and nurses must apply their skills and knowledge to ensure that they provide the best possible care to their patients. This analysis provides evidence that no specialty in nursing is of less importance. Rather, the increasing healthcare needs of society and the aging population mean that nursing will continue to expand in specialties within its realm.
References
BLS. (2020). Occupational outlook handbook: Registered nurses.
Carranza, A., Munoz, P. J., & Nash, A. (2021). Comparing quality of care in medical specialties between nurse practitioners and physicians. Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, 33(3), 184-193. doi: 10.1097/JXX.0000000000000394
Geller, D. E., & Swan, B. A. (2021). Recent evidence of nurse practitioner outcomes in a variety of care settings. Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, 33(10), 771-775. doi: 10.1097/JXX.0000000000000451
Hassmiller, S. B., & Pulcini, J. (2020). Advanced practice nursing leadership: A global perspective. Springer Nature.